UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
AT  LOS  ANGELES 


UNIVERSITY  of  CALIFORNIA 

AT 
LOS  ANGELES 


THE  KING  OF  ROME 


fuk^ 


iyt^Cry     y^^y'^2^ 


THE 
KING    OF    ROME 

A  BIOGRAPHY 

BY 
VICTOR  von  KUBINYI 


^be  Itnfcherbocher  press 

NEW   YORK 

1907 


■i    '  r  0  r  '- 


Copyright,  1907 

BY 

VICTOR  VON  KUBINYI 


^ 


To 

MADAME  CAROLINE  LE  ROY  BONAPARTE 

This  little  work  is  most  respectfully  dedicated 


<i7 


Napoleon  I. 


MOTTO :  "Genius,  is  the  talent  for  seeing  things  straight. — It 
is  seeing  things  in  a  straight  line  without  any  bend 
or  break  of  aberration,  seeing  them  as  they  are, 
without  any  warping  of  vision.  Flawless  mental 
sight  I    That  is  genius  1 " 

(M.  A.) 


preface 

HUS  far  no  one  had  ever  doubted  him, 
because  it  was  impossible  to  do  so 
with  justice:  Napoleon  I.,  in  the 
modern  age,  is  as  yet  the  greatest  general. 
Whether  the  famous  General  will  have  a  suc- 
cessor as  great  as  he,  can  be  told  only  by  Him, 
in  whose  hands  our  future  lies.  That  Napo- 
leon, through  history,  rightly  called  "The 
Great,"  will  ever  have  a  counterpart,  is  the 
secret  of  the  future. 

Would  we  think  Napoleon  greater,  had  he 
not  put  the  crown  upon  his  own  head,  is  a 
question  upon  which  disputants,  according  to 
their  greater  or  lesser  shortsightedness,  will 
hereafter  argue  many  times. 

If  we  judge  history's  greatest  men,  not  by 
their  actions,  but  by  what  they  have  accom- 
plished through  their  success — if  we  attempt 

vii 


viii  preface 

to  find  results — then,  all  who  wish  to  be  im- 
partial, must  realize  that  Napoleon  Bona- 
parte set  such  an  example  that  not  malice  nor 
slander  can  work  him  harm,  and  only  time  can 
do  him  justice. 

As  the  unlucky  King  Louis  XVI. — ^he  w^ho 
was  worthy  of  a  better  fate — was  beheaded,  the 
deserted  French  Nation  fell  into  the  depths  of 
misery, — nay,  not  fell,  but  plunged.  Insulted, 
not  only  in  their  human,  but  also  in  their 
moral  rights,  and  at  times  even  cheated  out 
of  these,  the  now  completely  deprived  French 
Nation,  moved  by  desperation  long  pent  up, 
rebelled,  and  in  self-defence  overthrew  the 
Bourbons,  and  their  centuries-existing  throne 
of  stolen  power,  determined  at  last  to  manage 
their  own  fate.  A  crisis  such  as  has  no  equal 
in  the  history  of  nations,  followed.  The  blood 
filled  nation  (the  people  make  the  nation), 
came  to  a  perfect  whirlpool, — a  whirlpool  that 
ruined  and  devoured  everything.  A  few  steps 
more  and  the  "  Grande  Nation  "  with  all  its 
glorious  past,  would  have  ceased  to  exist. 


preface  ix 

If  a  people,  deprived  by  continuous  rob- 
bery of  its  rights,  once  shakes  off  the  weight 
of  the  despised  throne  and  gets  the  reins  of 
government  in  its  own  hands,  the  nation's  posi- 
tion is  harder  and  more  dangerous  than  it  was 
before.  No  end  of  care  and  peaceful  consid- 
eration of  affairs  must  be  given,  if  speedily 
she  does  not  want  to  see  her  end. 

With  the  French  Nation  the  danger  was 
great  and  near. 

Would  the  uncontrolled  subjects  gain 
control? 

Was  not  the  indignation  of  the  people  just? 

Yes,  it  was,  now  more  than  ever  before. 

If  the  individual  needs  in  his  daily  course 
calm  and  peaceful  judgment,  how  much  more 
the  Nation,  when  its  future  depends  on  it  so 
much.  What  would  have  been  the  future  of 
the  once  glorious  France?  What  would  the 
country  itself  have  been,  if  the  leaders  of  the 
hated  government  had  managed  it  longer? 
To-day  we  would  sorrowfully  say :  "  France 
was." 


X  preface 

Some  one  there  must  be  who  has  not 
mingled  in  the  past  of  bloody  actions, — some 
neutral  man  who  can  save  the  country  from 
destruction.     But  where  is  the  man? 

Who  will  undertake  it  and  crown  the  effort 
with  success? 

Let  us  pause  here. 

We  could  not  tell  in  one  breadth  all  that  had 
happened  from  the  time  King  Louis  XVI. 
was  dethroned,  till  Napoleon  ascended  the  new 
imperial  throne.  Pause,  and  let  each  one  an- 
swer this  question,  Who  placed  France  in  this 
jDOsition?  for  himself  (but  only  those  who 
know  history)  ;  and,  Who  gave  the  French 
Nation  to  herself? 

I  am  far  from  flattering  Napoleon.  Flat- 
tery is  insipid,  and  flattery  is  not  necessary 
to  one  as  great  as  Napoleon.  Each  of  his  acts 
gives  us  so  many  great  and  extraordinary 
facts,  that  no  matter  who  reads  or  hears  them, 
he  must  at  least  think  them  over. 

In  my  little  task,  I  am  speaking  strictly  ac- 
cording to  the  pages  of  History,  and  only  the 


preface  xi 

facts  of  History  lead  me  to  call  Napoleon's 
son  "  King  of  Rome." 

Am  I  not  right? 

Napoleon  himself  gave  his  son  this  title,  and 
he  gave  it  by  virtue  of  acquired  right  and 
power.  Whoever — and  there  are  some — 
wishes  to  hesitate  over  it,  should  not  forget 
that  the  first  French  Emperor  was  despoiled 
of  his  right,  but  the  mantle  of  his  might  was  not 
worn  by  any  other  shoulders.  Allow,  instead 
of  the  foregoing  arguments,  at  least  as  much 
as  the  settlement  of  historical  names,  even 
those  who  depend  largely  on  the  fragments 
of  History  must  admit  that  the  son  of  Louis 
XVI.  had  not  the  least  chance  of  becoming 
King  of  France,  Louis  XVII.  If  any  one 
should  answer  to  this,  that  the  dynasty  of 
Bourbons  had  not  ceased,  and  that  therefore 
poor  Capet's  son  was  "  in  evidence,"  as  Louis 
XVII. — we  say,  neither  did  Bonaparte's  end. 
And  if  we  want  to  be  truthful,  we  will  not 
call  Great  Napoleon's  son  King  of  Rome,  but 
simply  Napoleon  II. 


xii  preface 

On  Berezina's  frozen  mirror  of  broken 
glory  there  still  remains  one  streak  of  light, 
by  which  we  recognize  that,  behind  the  "  King 
of  Rome,"  the  descendant  is  the  son  of  Na- 
poleon I.,  or  if  you  like  it  better,  of  the  Great 
Hero. 


miusttations 

Victor  von  Kubinyi  ,         .      Mrontispiece 

Napoleon  I. 

Napoleon  I.  at  the  Battle  at  Friedland 

The  Cradle  of  the  King  of  Rome 

Empress  Marie  Louise  with  the  King  of  Rome 

Empress  Marie  Louise        .... 

"The  Prince  of  Parma"    .... 

The  Duke  of   Rbichstadt  as  Austrian  Cor 
poral     

Napoleon  II.  as  Austrian  Colonel 

Miss  Maude  Adams  as  Duke  of  Reichstadt  in 
Rostand's  "L'Aiglon" 

Napoleon  II.  on  his  Bier 

"Madame  Mere" — Letizia  di  Ramolino    . 

Young  Napoleon's  Grandmother. 

Hon.  Charles  J.  Bonaparte 

Attorney-General  of  the  United  States 
xiii 


IV 

viii 

2 

6 

10 

20 

26 
36 

46 

58 
90 

92 


xiv  miustratione 

PAGE 

His    Imperial    Highness     Peincb     Napoleon       91: 
Victor 

H.  I.  M.  The  Empress  Eugenie         ...       98 

His    Imperial    and    Royal    Majesty,     Franz 

Josef  1 100 

Emperor  of  Austria,  King  of  Hungary 

President  Madison 108 


THE  KING  OF  ROME 


Zhc  Ikino  of  IRome 


^71^] 


HE  20th  of  March,  1811,  was  a  hard 
day  for  Napoleon,  the  great  Em- 
peror of  France.  The  arrival  of  the 
anxiously  expected  Crown  Prince  was  dan- 
gerous for  the  Empress,  Marie  Louise. 

So  many  anxieties  made  the  Emperor  tired 
and  sick.  The  great  hero,  who  had  faced  so 
many  times  all  the  dangers  of  war  without  any 
fear — trembled. 

Can  you  imagine  a  Napoleon  trembhng? 

He  became  alarmed.  He  really  trembled, 
but  not  for  his  crown;  he  trembled  for  his  well- 
beloved  wife,  and  for  his  anxiously  expected 
child.  He  became  nervous.  He  was  like  a 
child,  seeing  some  "ghost."  To  cahn  his 
fears,  he  took  a  warm  bath.  And  when  Du- 
bois, the  physician-in-chief  of  the  Imperial 
House  entered  his  bath-room,  the  hero  lost  his 
breath. 


2  Zbc  Mm  ot  IRome 

Dubois  came  to  ask  the  Emperor  what  he 
should  do,  being  unable  to  help  the  Empress 
without  some  very  dangerous  undertaking. 
Napoleon,  making  a  strong  effort  to  calm 
himself  and  growing  pale,  answered  the 
physician: 

"  Well,  Dubois,  what  would  you  do  in  such 
a  case  if  you  w^re  called  by  some  citizen's 
wife?" 

"  Imperial  Majesty,"  answered  Dubois  stut- 
tering, "  I  would  use  my  instruments." 

*'  I  see,"  replied  Napoleon.  *'  Now,  Du- 
bois, I  will  tell  you  what  has  to  be  done.  You 
have  to  forget  you  are  in  the  Imperial  Palace, 
and  you  have  to  do  the  best  you  can,  as  you 
would  do  in  some  merchant's  house.  Take 
care  of  both,  and  if  you  cannot  keep  both 
alive,  save  me  the  mother." 

Napoleon,  dressing  himself  in  a  hurry,  hast- 
ened to  see  his  wife.  He  would  help  her  in 
such  a  dangerous  situation,  but  seeing  he 
could  be  of  no  help,  trembling  again  at  the 
sight  of  his  wife's  sufferings,  he  was  forced  by 
Dubois  to  leave  the  room.  Behind  the  next 
door  he  awaited  with  palpitating  heart  what 
would  happen. 


The  Cradle  of  the  Kin(;  ov  Rome 

(Made  by  Odiot  aiul  Thoniire) 

Imperial  Family  Treasure,  Vienna 


Zhc  Iking  of  IRome  3 

After  a  few  moments  of  fear,  such  as  he 
never  knew  before,  Constant,  his  intimate 
valet  came,  looking  like  the  happiest  one  on 
earth. 

"  In  deepest  reverence  I  most  humbly  beg 
to  announce  to  Your  Imperial  Majesty  the 
happ}'-  arrival  of  His  Imperial  Highness  the 
Crown  Prince  of  France." 

"  May  God  bless  you.  Constant,'*  rephed 
the  Emperor. 

Then  he  hastily  ran  to  see  his  son,  crying 
delightedly :  "  My  guards,  and  a  hundred-one 
gun  shots!  '* 

Returning  from  his  son's  cradle,  he  smil- 
ingly spoke  to  the  dignitaries  gathered  to- 
gether in  the  ante-chamber. 

"  Gentlemen,"  he  said,  "  Napoleon  II.  is 
arrived.  We  have  a  nice  and  strong  boy! 
But  he  kept  us  waiting  for  such  a  long  time. 
jNIy  poor  wife !  She  had  to  suffer  very  much ! 
For  such  a  high  price  I  do  not  wish  any  more 
children." 

March  23,  1811,  eleven  o'clock  in  the  fore- 
noon, a  fast  running  mail-coach  passed  the 
frontiers  of  Vienna,  the  capital  of  the  Aus- 


4  ZTbc  Mm  of  IRonic 

trian  Empire,  and  did  not  stoj)  before  arriv- 
ing at  the  door  of  the  French  Embassy.  A 
young  officer  hastily  left  the  coach,  and  wear- 
ing a  solemn  demeanor  asked  the  officer  at  the 
door  at  once  for  the  Ambassador.  It  was 
Captain  De  Robelau,  who,  coming  by  Napo- 
leon's special  command  from  Strassburg, 
brought  the  Ambassador,  Count  Otto,  the 
news  of  little  Napoleon's  fortunate  birth. 
And,  while  the  Captain  walked  up-stairs  to 
see  the  Count,  his  companion,  a  French 
grenadier,  being  unable  to  withstand  the 
portress's  questions,  betrayed  the  great  secret. 
The  good  old  woman  ran  out  to  the  street 
and  being  all  out  of  breath,  she  cried: 

"Archduchess  Marie  Louise  has  a  lovely 
boy!  Oh  my!  What  a  great  joy  for  our 
good  Emperor! " 

Little  Napoleon's  birth  was  shortly  known 
in  the  whole  of  Vienna,  and  raised  much  joy. 
The  cordial  Austrians,  first  thinking  of  Na- 
poleon as  a  formidable  "  sansculotte "  later, 
after  they  have  seen  him,  took  to  him  at  once 
with  great  affection,  and  now,  being  their 
Emperor's  son-in-law,  gave  him  genuine  es- 
teem, as  a  Prince  of  Habsburg. 


^bc  IkiuG  of  IRomc  5 

Only  a  certain  party  of  the  Austrian  peer- 
age kept  a  frosty  neutrality.  Among  this 
circle,  moved  round  the  strangest  rumours 
about  Napoleon,  and  they  beUeved  all  these 
uncontrolled  tittle-tattles,  which  were  spread, 
so  it  is  alleged,  by  one  of  the  "  would-be  truth- 
ful secretaries  "  of  the  Austrian  Embassy  at 
Paris.  These  aristocrats  took  no  care  to  find 
out  from  what  sources  these  stupid  stories 
came,  but  on  the  contrary,  they  kept  on  with 
characteristic  greediness  on  every  occasion,  to 
blame  the  "  parvenu,"  being  unable  to  under- 
stand how  Napoleon,  the  former  captain, 
could  become  the  most  powerful  Sovereign  of 
Europe,  having  no  .  .  .  Royal  ancestors. 
They  did  believe  it, — they  even  ambitiously 
spread  stories  about  Napoleon's  terrible 
cruelty  towards  his  wife,  the  full-blooded 
Habsburgian  Princess  Marie  Louise.  (I 
think  that  was  the  genuine  "  Stolen  Story," 
but  later  we  can  see  which  of  them  was  a 
"tyrant,"  the  parvenu,  or  the  Princess?) 

Francis  II.,  the  Austrian  Emperor,  and 
little  Napoleon's  grandfather,  took  an  occa- 
sion to  celebrate  his  "well-beloved"  grand- 
child's birth,  giving  one  of  the  most  splendid 


6  Z\)c  Iking  of  IRome 

receptions,  which,  many  centuries  ago,  dazzled 
all  those,  who  were  worthy  to  receive  a  call  to 
Vienna's  Imperial  Palace.  Such  a  reception 
was,  and  now  really  is  a  royal  entertainment, 
which  reminds  one  of  the  centurian  glory  of 
the  Habsburgs, — but  the  above  reception  was 
badly  disfigured  by  a  clumsy  "  wit  snapping  " 
of  one  adulator.  During  this  splendid  festiv- 
ity, a  "  Gentleman  "  made  the  following  char- 
acteristic remark :  "  Well,  it  may  be  a  few 
years  later,  that  this  King  of  Rome  will  call 
here  as  a  beggar-student." 

And  this  dull  headed  prophecy,  alas,  was 
realized  to  the  aforesaid  "  Gentleman's  "  and 
his  companions'  great  satisfaction. 

At  Paris,  the  joy  was  sincere.  There  no- 
body cared  for  such  "  ingenious "  remarks. 
The  French  Nation  showed  a  genuine  enthusi- 
asm, upon  which  Archduke  Ferdinand,  con- 
gratulating Napoleon  in  his  father-in-law's 
name,  said  in  his  letter  sent  to  Vienna  (March 
29,  1811)  :  "  It  is  really  impossible  to  give  an 
adequate  description  of  the  sincere  and 
fervent  gladness  of  the  whole  of  France.  I 
never  before  have  seen  such  enthusiasm  which 
baffles  all  imagination." 


Emprkss  Marie  Louise  with  the  King  oe  Rome 


Zbc  IkiiiG  of  IRomc  7 

May  21,  1814,  at  seven  o'clock  in  the  even- 
ing, a  coach  of  the  Austrian  Imperial  stables 
stopped  at  the  main  door  of  Schoenbrunn,  the 
summer  residence  of  the  Austrian  Emperors, 
and  ten  minutes  later,  another  one  came.  The 
first  one  brought  Marie  Louise,  the  "  Prin- 
cess of  Parma."  When  the  second  coach 
stopped,  Duke  Trauttmannsdorff,  the  Imper- 
ial marshal  took  out  of  the  same  with  great 
care  a  "  package,"  and  handed  it  to  Gen. 
Count  Kinsk}^,  the  Emperor's  acting  cham- 
berlain. Kinsky  hastened  up-stairs  carrying 
the  package  very  carefully:  he  had  brought 
the  King  of  Rome! — and  he  had  hard  work  to 
arrive  at  the  drawing-room,  where  the  whole 
Imperial  Court  gathered  to  meet  the  Ex-Em- 
press of  France,  and  her  son.  All  the  ladies 
of  the  Austrian  aristocracy  were  waiting  for 
the  arrival  of  their  Emperor's  grandchild, 
and  would  kiss  the  httle  dethroned  Majesty's 
hand,  and  poor  Kinsky  could  do  nothing 
against  these  "  attempts." 

The  beggar  student  arrived! 

Eut  he  was  received  very  cordially.  The 
police  commissioner  of  Vienna  saj^s  in  his  re- 
port  (^lay  21st)  :  "An  innumerate  crowd  of 


8  ZTbc  mm  of  IRome 

people  awaiting  Napoleon's  son  cried  inces- 
santly, '  Hurrah  for  the  Prince  of  Parma  '  I  " 

As  though  the  people  knew  how  this  baby; 
needed  love! 

It  is  important  and  characteristic  to  hear 
Hudelist,  the  Austrian  Senator  speaking 
about  this  memorable  event.  He  says :  "  A 
big  crowd  of  people  jammed  together  await- 
ing the  guests,  and  acclaimed  Marie  Louise 
and  her  son  with  enthusiastic  shouts  of  joy. 
The  people  enjoyed  the  ex-Empress's  friendly 
manner  in  rejoining  all  the  greetings,  but 
they  liked  most  the  little  Prince  of  Parma. 
They  became  crazy  about  the  pretty  looking 
baby.  Really,  everybody  thought  the  Prince, 
I  do  not  know  why,  an  ailing  nasty  child,  and 
therefore  all  were  pleasantly  surprised  about 
the  pretty  little  Prince.  Everybody  was  in  a 
hurry  to  see  him." 

Duke  Metternich,  the  "  all-mighty "  Aus- 
trian Chancellor,  did  not  feel  joyful  about  the 
arrival  of  his  lately  powerful  enemy's  son. 
He  even  took  alarm  at  the  people's  enthusi- 
asm. He  thought  to  do  his  duty,  to  avoid  the 
popularity  of  the  innocent  baby.  The  next 
day,  ^lay  22d,  he  did  not  allow  any  more  of 


Zhc  Iking  of  IRoinc  9 

the  people  to  enter  the  Schoenbrunn  park,  and 
from  this  time  he  did  all  he  could  to  remove 
from  ]\larie  Louise  and  her  son  all  memory, 
and  even  all  thoughts,  of  their  recent  glory 
and  power. 


II 


APOLEON'S  wife  was  forced  to  re- 
sign her  title  "  Ex-Empress,"  as  it 
was  claimed  "  on  account  of  the 
Habshurg  f amity's  international  position." 
It  is,  realh^  hard  to  understand  this  in- 
justice, which  never  had  hitherto  a  likeness. 
And  it  is  again  hard  to  understand,  be- 
ing the  Austrian  Emperor  Marie  Louise's 
father. 

Have  you  ever  heard  of  an  Austrian  Arch- 
duchess robbed  of  her  titles  by  the  Emperor, 
and  that  man,  her  father  ? 

She  had  to  be  satisfied  with  the  follow- 
ing titles :  "  INIarie  Louise  Archduchess  of 
Austria,  Princess  of  Parma,  Piacenza,  and 
Guastalla." 

And  why? 

Perhaps  to  allow  her  really  these  titles? 

Perhaps  to  give  her  some  compensation  for 
the  lost  power  and  glory? 

Xot  at  all,  but  only  to  fool  her! 


Empress  Marie  Louise 

(Pinx.:  Cierard) 

Property  of  the  Countess  Fraiicisca  Bombelles  (Pressburg,    Hungary) 


^be  1klno  of  IRome  n 

And  later,  when  she  went  to  Parma  to  take 
possession  of  her  Princedom,  she  arrived  there 
as  genuine  Princess  of  this  land,  and  now,  she 
really  thought  to  hecome  what  she  was  called. 
She  could  not  take  the  famous  portrait  with 
her,  made  hy  Gerard,  because  it  represented 
her  as  Empress  of  France.  Her  father  kept 
this  portrait  for  the  Imperial  Gallery,  and 
promised  her  another  one,  as  he  said,  "  more 
in  keeping  to  her  new  position," — but  he 
never  kept  his  promise! 

And  her  son? 

First,  he  was  despoiled  of  his  title  given 
him  by  his  father;  then  he  became  Crown 
Prince  of  Parma, — but  only  to  be  despoiled 
soon  again.  At  last  he  became  *' by  his 
grandfather's  special  grace,"  Duke  of  Reich- 
stadt,  to  be  fooled  again! 

"Reichstadt!" 

Metternich  worried  himself  very  much  about 
little  Napoleon's  "political  position."  He 
Avas  ever  anxiously  looking  out  for  the  Im- 
perial House's  "  interest."  He  did  not  like  the 
little  boy,  and  he,  the  powerful  chancellor,  was 
afraid  of  the  baby.  When  Emperor  Francis 
would    appoint    his    grandchild    "Duke    of 


12  Zbc  Mm  of  IRomc 

Babenberg,"  he  at  once  was  ready  to  avoid 
this  "  great  danger."  Napoleon's  son,  he 
said,  cannot  become  Duke  of  such  a  historical 
title  of  Ilabsburgian  ancestors, — he  thought 
it  to  be  impossible  to  make  the  "  Prince  "  equal 
to  the  genuine  Habsburgian  Princes. 

"  If  the  Prince  were  to  become  Duke  of 
Babenberg,"  he  wrote  to  Count  Neipperg, 
March  24,  1818,  "  the  glory  of  the  former 
Austrian  Sovereigns  would  be  resuscitated  in 
his  person,  and  this  circumstance  is  more  than 
enough  to  protest  against  His  Majesty's  giv- 
ing such  a  dangerous  decision." 

The  chancellor,  by  these  few  words,  makes 
the  proposition  to  denominate  the  ex-Emper- 
or's son  "  Duke  of  Bustiechrad."  But  ]\larie 
Louise  at  once  exclaimed  against  such  a 
"  funny "  proposal.  "  Do  not  forget,"  she 
writes  to  Metternich,  JNIarch  18,  "  nobody 
could  pronounce  this  title.  However,  my 
dear  ( ?)  Duke,  I  am  calmed;  you  will  justify, 
as  you  have  so  often,  my  trust  in  yourself." 

Who  could  understand  these  words,  and 
who  could  read  them  mthout  being  much 
surprised? 

It  is  surprising  to  see  the  Austrian  Em- 


^be  Iking  of  IRome  13 

peror's  daughter  flattering  her  father's  "  ohe- 
dieiit  servant," — and  it  is  hard  to  under- 
stand how  she  could  forget  that  she  v/as 
Napoleon's  wife, — how  she  could  forget  Na- 
poleon's son  to  be  her  own  child, — how  the 
mother  could  confide  her  son's  future  to  the 
care  of  her  husband's  implacable  enemy? 

Emperor  Francis  gave  a  hearing  to  his 
daughter's  request,  and  he  says :  "  Regarding 
your  son's  title,  I  find  Reichstadt  to  be  the 
most  convenient."  But,  at  the  same  time,  he 
gave  to  Metternich  the  following  instructions: 
"  I  would  like  to  denominate  my  grandchild 
Duke  of  Reichstadt,  and  if  you  do  not  see  any 
obstacles  in  it,  you  will  make  the  adequate 
arrangements." 

Reichstadt  was  one  of  the  most  productive 
properties  belonging  to  the  Austrian  Imperial 
family, — but  what  kind  of  "  obstacles  "  would 
the  Emperor  avoid,  if  not  liis  fear  to  make  his 
Chancellor  angry? 

Napoleon's  son  became  by  the  Austrian 
Emperor's  "  special  grace,"  and  that  was 
especially  accentuated,  Duke  of  Reichstadt, 
but  he  never  could  take  possession  of  "  his  " 
(?)  rich  manor! 


14  ^l)c  KwQ  ot  IRonie 

And  JNIarie  Louise  hastened  to  give  her 
thanks  for  this  common  jugglery. 

"^  /  never  would  see  my  son  on  the  throne/' 
she  wrote  to  her  father  April  17,  "  but  it 
seemed  to  be  my  holy,  motherly  duty,  secur- 
ing my  son's  future.  You,  my  dear  father, 
did  calm  my  anxious  heart.  Now  I  am 
satisfied." 

She  is  satisfied  I 

She  is  satisfied  to  see  her  son  despoiled  in 
such  a  common  way. 

She  is  satisfied  to  have  forgotten  to  be  the 
ex-Empress, — to  be  the  Austrian  Emperor's 
daughter, — even,  to  be  mother  !  And  she  is 
audacious  enough,  to  talk  about  her  "  holy, 
motherly  duty,"  even  at  that  moment  she 
proves  to  have  no  idea  of  a  mother's  duty. 

The  King  of  Rome  was  despoiled  of  his 
title, — he  became  "  by  special  grace  "  Prince 
of  an  unassuming  Austrian  title, — and  his 
grandfather  did  not  treat  him  like  one  of  the 
m^embers  of  his  family.  Giving  him  the 
Reichstadt  title  he  at  the  same  time  declares, 
"  to  avoid  any  political  misunderstanding," — 
that  he  is  not  equal  ^^^th  the  other  family 
members.     Even,  for  the  convenient  rank  of 


Z]K  Mm  of  IRome  15 

Highness,  he  gave  him  the  lower  rank  of 
Right  Honorable  ...  all  these  things  are 
done  to  show  disrespect  to  Napoleon. 

Is  it  justice  to  punish  the  son  for  his  father's 
"  crimes  "? 

Such  a  cruel  treatment  of  an  innocent  child, 
however,  is  not  all  Metternich's  fault.  Em- 
peror Francis,  who  speaks  so  often  of  his 
*'  love  "  for  his  grandchild,  should  not  be  so 
jn'elding  towards  his  Chancellor.  And  Marie 
Louise?  She  has  forgotten  to  be  mother. 
She  should  not  acquiesce  in  Metternich's  at- 
tempts. She  was  the  only  one  who  could  do 
something  for  her  son  .  .  .  and  she  did  no- 
thing at  all!  Even,  she  sacrificed  her  child's 
future  to  save  her  own  idle  interest.  She  did 
not  know  the  motto  of  her  mother-in-law, 
Leticia,  who  said :  "  The  unhappiest  one  of  my 
children  is  the  one  I  love  most." 

JVIetternich  tells  us  frankly  what  he  will  do 
about  Napoleon  II. :  "  The  education  of  the 
Prince,"  he  says  to  Neipperg,  July  26,  1817, 
"  has  to  lie  exclusively  in  our  hands.  He  has 
to  be  educated  in  a  thoroughly  cleared-up 
spirit,  and  we  have  anxiously,  and  most  care- 
fully to  keep  away  from  him  all  the  danger- 


i6  Zbc  Iking  of  IRomc 

ous  temptations  which  menace  him  even  on 
account  of  his  high  descent." 

Who  could  understand  these  words? 

It  may  be,  if  JMetternich  thought  his  letter 
would  ever  be  read,  even  not  in  his  favor,  a 
hundred  years  later,  he  would  have  written  it 
in  a  more  "  cleared-up  spirit."  He  was 
frightened,  not  at  all  for  the  Prince's  fu- 
ture, but,  on  the  contrary,  for  himself.  He 
thought  he  would  loose  his  position  if  he  did 
not  do  everything  against  Napoleon's  child. 
If  he  had  his  own  way,  he  would  cut  the  name 
of  Napoleon  from  the  pages  of  History. 
Perhaps  he  thought  to  save  in  that  way  the 
Habsburgian  political  interests? 

The  powerful  Chancellor  fears  the  baby, — 
oh,  what  a  hero!  And  Francis  II.,  when  he 
entrusted  Gen.  Count  Hartmann  to  lead 
his  grandchild's  education,  approved  Metter- 
nich's  opinion.  "  The  Prince,"  he  says,  *'  be- 
ing now  legally  (?)  separated  from  his  native 
country,  is  not  a  Frenchman  any  more.  To 
give  him  an  adequate  (?)  compensation,  I 
have  made  him  the  first  of  my  subjects,  with 
the  rank  immediately  after  (!!!)  the  members 
of  my  family.     Herewith  I  have  stated  defi- 


Zhc  IkiuG  of  IRonie  17 

nitely  the  mutual  relation  between  him,  and 
my  family,  and  also  my  people.  I  trust  in  his 
noble  minding,  and  his  correctness  to  never 
abuse  such  a  high  (?)  position  as  I  have 
given  him."  It  is,  you  can  see,  Metter- 
nich  again,  showing  his  anxious  "  w  isdom," 
having  not  much  care  of  the  grandfather's 
remorse. 

Napoleon's  son  was  christened  *'  Napo- 
leon,"— now  he  became, — perhaps  by  the  Em- 
peror's special  grace  (?) — "Franz."  And 
so  on,  JNIetternich  took  every  occasion  to  turn 
the  Great  French  Emperor's  son  into  an  un- 
assuming Austrian  Prince. 

On  account  of  his  "  anxiety  "  it  was  for 
Metternich  a  hard  thing  to  find  the  convenient 
teacher  for  "  Franz,"  one  whom  he  could 
trust.  For  months  he  was  looking  out  for  the 
convenient  one,  then,  at  last,  he  thought  to 
have  found  "  his  man."  By  the  reiterated  re- 
commendations of  Baron  Hager,  one  of  the 
most  intimate  aristocrats  at  the  Vienna  Im- 
perial Court,  June  26,  1815,  he  proposed  to 
Emperor  Francis  to  appoint  Count  JNIaurice 
Dietrichstein  for  his  grandchild's  tutor. 

JMontbel    and    some    other    biographers    of 


i8  Zhc  IkiuG  of  IRoinc 

Napoleon  II.  are  wrong  saying,  Dietrichstein 
Avas  appointed  by  Marie  Louise's  special  re- 
quest. The  mother  did  not  care  about  her 
son's  education,  and  she  was  not  asked  at  all 
about  that  matter.  She  proves  it  herself 
writing  from  Baden  near  Vienna,  where  she 
was  living,  Jul}^  7,  1815,  to  her  father  as 
follows :  "  Yesterday  I  saw  my  boy.  He 
sends  his  respects,  and  does  very  well.  Count 
Dietrichstein  was  introduced  to  me,  and  I  like 
to  see  him  there  once  more  on  account  of  the 
circumstance,  j^ou,  dear  father,  have  ap- 
pointed him  only  temporarily,  till  I  can  take 
my  boy  with  me  to  Italy,  or  till  I  can  choose 
for  him  another  tutor,  because  I  do  not 
think  the  Count  to  be  the  proper  one  for 
the  purpose,  however,  he  may  be  a  correct 
gentleman." 

Six  months  later  the  same  jNIarie  Louise, 
the  same  "  anxious "  mother  shows  how  she 
fears  Metternich,  and  how  she  stays  under 
the  influence  of  .  .  .  Neipperg.  She  says: 
"  Now,  knowing  better  Count  Dietrichstein, 
I  am  very  well  satisfied  with  his  appointment, 
and  I  shall  praise  his  zealous  j)ainstaking  about 
my  son's  education." 


ZTbe  Iking  of  IRomc  19 

JMontbel  says,  the  first  time  she  did  not 
know  Dietrichstein,  and  later  she  changed  her 
mind.  Nonsense!  If  a  mother  takes  some 
care  of  her  son's  future,  then  she  has  to  know 
her  son's  tutor  a  long  time  in  advance.  That 
was  not  the  right  way  to  show  how  anxious 
she  is  to  do  her  "  holy,  motherly  duty." 


Ill 

nS  far  as  we  can  see,  Marie  Louise 
acquiesced  in  the  appointment  of 
Count  Dietrichstein,  as  her  son's  tu- 
tor exclusively  on  account  of  her  cowardice. 

The  King  of  Rome,  following  his  childish 
instinct,  did  not  like  his  tutor  at  all.  He  was 
afraid  of  him,  and  when  Countess  Scarampi, 
the  acting  Court  Lady,  called  him  in  the  draw- 
ing-room to  introduce  to  him  the  Count,  he 
would  not  follow  her,  and  said:  "  I  will  not  go, 
till  the  chamberlain  is  there." 

Countess  Scarampi  had  hard  work  to  per- 
suade her  obstinate  pupil,  and  when,  at  last, 
"  Franz  "  timidly  entered  the  drawing-room, 
he  soon  regained  his  courage,  and  eyed  the 
Count  from  head  to  foot  with  a  look  of 
mistrust. 

Dietrichstein,  being  surprised  at  his  pupil's 
demeanor,  imputed  his  unfavorable  recep- 
tion to  the  "  dangerous "  influence  of  the 
French  ladies  attached  to  *'  Franz."     "  I  see," 

20 


"TiiK  Prince  OF  Parma" 

(Water-color  Painting  by  Isabey   1S15) 

In  the  Sleeping-room  of  His  Majesty  Francis  Joseph  I. 


Zhc  IRlng  of  IRome  21 

lie  says  to  Neuberg,  one  of  the  most  influential 
ImxDerial  Counsellors,  "  I  have  a  hard  prob- 
lem before  me  [it  is:  to  turn  Napoleon's 
son  into  an  Austrian  Prince!]  principally,  as 
long  as  these  French  women  are  about  the 
Prince."  And  his  diary,  July  1,  1815,  has 
the  following  remark:  "Father  Landi  [the 
Prince's  future  teacher  in  Italian  language] 
found  me  in  my  room  w^eeping.  I  have  to 
suffer  so  many  disagreeable  things,  and  I  see 
I  can  succeed  only,  if  I  keep  from  him  other 
influences.  These  women  do  not  like  me,  and 
it  seems  to  me  they  are  afraid  I  will  impede 
their  progress.  They  zealously  estrange  him 
from  me,  therefore,  I  cannot  wonder  at  his 
mistrust." 

These  words  are  characteristic  of  Dietrich- 
stein.  Why  does  he  fear  these  French  ladies, 
being  without  power  and  having  only  the 
boy's  personal  sympathy?  If  he  would  only, 
and  really  make  Napoleon's  son  an  educated 
gentleman,  then,  he  could  have  no  reason  for 
his  fear,  but,  on  the  contrary,  they  could  help 
him  much  in  that  purpose.  But  he  did  not 
care  so  much  for  his  pupil's  education, — his 
fii-st   duty   was   to   estrange    "  Franz "   from 


22  z\K  Ikiiuj  of  IRome 

France,  even  from  his  father,  ^hich  the  French 
ladies  easily  found  out;  therefore,  no  wonder 
they  did  not  kiss  him  with  joy,  he,  who,  cor- 
rect gentleman  though  he  he,  came  to  estrange 
Napoleon's  amiahle  son  from  all  the  glori- 
ous past  to  which  they  clung  with  sincere 
enthusiasm. 

It  is  an  undoubted  fact,  Dietrichstein  was 
obliged  to  estrange  his  pupil  from  his  native 
country,  and  to  do  it  by  all  means.  Whether 
Emperor  Francis  himself  gave  him  the  direc- 
tions and  commands,  or  whether  he  only  ap- 
proved Metternich's  proposals,  does  not  make 
much  difference. 

A  few  weeks  later,  Dietrichstein,  with  his 
smoothness,  won  "  Franz's "  sympathy,  but 
sympathy  soon  became  obedience,  when  little 
Napoleon  saw  his  tutor's  smoothness  was  not 
sincere.  Then,  he,  Dietrichstein,  never  could 
really  gain  his  pupil's  heart. 

No  wonder! 

Even  the  contrary  could  not  surprise,  if  we 
take  into  consideration,  that  Franz,  with  his 
sharp-sightedness  inherited  from  his  father, 
soon  found  out  Dietrichstein  to  be  not  only 
his  tutor,   but   Metternich's   political   agent. 


Zbc  Ikiiuj  of  IRomc  23 

Therefore,  he  has  to  be  praised.  He  never 
manifested  his  discontent  to  the  Count  even 
when  his  will  was  most  oppressed. 

Being  only  a  short  time  in  his  employ,  Die- 
trichstein  frankly  hopes  for  an  entire  success. 
Really,  it  would  not  be  hard  for  him  to  suc- 
ceed, having  plain  instruction  on  all  particu- 
lars. But,  to  surpass  all  expectations  in  his 
charge, — and  that  was  his  greatest  wish, — he 
was  looking  out  for  a  fellow-laborer.  Upon 
his  reiterated  requests,  September  6th,  Cap- 
tain Foresti  was  attached  to  him.  And  to 
tell  the  truth,  it  is  remarkable  Foresti  was  ap- 
pointed with  Marie  Louise's  knowledge,  even 
at  her  request. 

"  Words  will  be  inadequate,"  she  writes  to 
her  father,  "  to  express  my  gratitude  for  your 
kindness,  dear  father;  j^ou  have  appointed 
Captain  Foresti,  whom,  after  all  I  heard  of 
him,  I  hope  to  be  the  most  proper  one,  to 
secure  my  boy's  education.  Now,  I  can  leave 
Franz  calmed,  I  see  him  under  such  excellent 
influences." 

All  right.  Marie  Louise  appears  now  like 
a  mother,  showing  much  interest  in  her  son's 
future.     But  that  is  all!     She  has,  really,  no 


24  ^be  frtinG  of  llvonic 

care  for  the  indispensable  immediate  influence 
upon  her  son's  education. 

Foresti,  of  Tyrolian  birth,  was  thirty-nine 
years  old  when  he  was  appointed  Franz's 
teacher.  He  was  an  earnest,  worthy,  noble- 
hearted  man,  praised  by  everybody  on  account 
of  his  irreproachable  character,  and  he  under- 
stood— in  spite  of  the  circumstance,  he  had 
strictlj''  to  obey  [Metternich's  and  Dietrich- 
stein's  instructions — to  take  every  occasion, 
and  they  were  many,  to  alleviate  his  pupil's 
hard  situation,  whom  he  liked,  and  towards 
whom  he  had  a  sincere  pity. 

According  to  enlargement  of  the  teaching, 
shortly  a  third  teacher  had  to  be  appointed. 
Matthew  Collin,  professor  of  history  at  the 
Vienna  University,  was  chosen  for  this  posi- 
tion. Emperor  Francis,  probably  made  anx- 
ious by  Metternich,  resisted  this  project.  He 
did  not  like  to  appoint  for  his  grandchild  a 
special  teacher  of  history,  but  Dietrichstein 
and  Foresti  won  with  their  repeated  requests. 

It  is  interesting  to  hear  IMarie  Louise's 
mind  about  Collin,  who  was  going  to  have  the 
most  important,  and  at  the  same  time,  the 
most  responsible  part.     "  I  had  an  interview 


Zbc  Mm  of  IRome  25 

.with  him,"  she  sa5's,  "  and  am  sure  he  will  be 
able  to  teach  my  son  in  the  right  way.  I  trust 
my  boy,  educated  by  such  excellent  men,  will 
become  a  worthy  man  of  highest  education." 

When  Collin  died,  November  24,  1824,  the 
Austrian  Senator  Obenaus,  later  (1827)  pro- 
moted to  the  rank  of  Baron,  came  in  his  place. 
He  was  chosen  for  the  position  because  he  had 
been  Archduke  Ferdinand's  tutor. 

Obenaus  zealously  would  turn  his  pupil's 
mind  to  the  way  convenient  to  his  descent,  and 
to  his  sharp-willedness.  His  promotion  shows 
clearly  what  he  meant  by  this  "  convenient 
way."  However,  he  undeniably  was  a  man 
of  highest  scientific  education,  having  care  of 
his  pupil  besides  the  lessons  too,  and  trying 
to  get  a  favorable  influence  upon  the  frame  of 
his  mind,  he,  like  Foresti,  tried  to  accord  the 
rigorous  directions  with  his  personal  sym- 
pathy for  "  Franz." 

Edmond  Rostand,  the  celebrated  French 
poet,  showing  in  his  famous  UAiglon,  Obe- 
naus like  a  blind  instrument  to  make  Franz 
stupid,  even  perverse,  does  it  exclusively  on 
account  of  poetical  liberty  (licentia  poetica) , 
It  is  true,  Obenaus  was  far  from  being  an 


26  ^be  Mm  ot  IRomc 

impartial,  and  an  ideal  teacher  of  history, — 
however,  his  character  was  simply  incapable  of 
such  base-minded  intents. 

Not  only  Dietrichstein,  but  Obenaus  and 
Foresti  too,  soon  understood  they  had  a  hard 
task.  The  little,  self-willed  ex-King,  in- 
clining even  to  obstinacy,  caused  them  many 
cares  in  point  of  view  of  pedagog}^  and  gave 
them  occasion  for  many  inconveniences. 

Wertheimer,  the  intimate,  and  undoubtedly 
highly  educated  investigator  of  Habsburgian 
history,  has  collected  together  many  letters 
and  annotations  made  by  Dietrichstein,  Col- 
lin, Foresti,  and  Obenaus  about  their  pupil. 
All  these  remarks  enhghten  L'Aiglon's  edu- 
cation, and  show  many  remarkable,  inter- 
esting, and  hitherto  unknown  things  and 
opinions,  w^hich  contradict  the  previously 
spread  opinions  about  Napoleon  11.  He 
corrects  many  times  Welschinger  and  INIont- 
bel,  the  celebrated  historiographers,  and  all 
his  contradictions  are  based  upon  historical 
documents.  The  most  interesting  of  Wer- 
theimer's  remarks  are  those,  w^iich  show  us 
L'Aiglon's  private  hfe,  the  secrets  of  his  state 
of   mind,    and   his   thoughts.     He    disproves 


/■'/,  ..'^ 


*^' 


TiiK  Di'KE  OF  Reichstadt  as  Austrian  Corporal 

(Drawing  by  Peter  Kraflt) 

Gallery  of  Portraits,  Imperial  Library,  \ii.niia 


Z\x  IkiuG  of  IRoinc  27 

many  fantastic  stories,  also  many  dull  calum- 
nies. First  of  all,  he  disproves  the  opinion, 
ambitiously  spread  by  certain  people,  that  the 
teachers  were  forced  to  make  their  pupil 
stupid,  to  stifle  his  intellectual  development, 
even  to  ruin  his  sanity,  leading  him  in  the  way 
of  immorality.  Also  he  disproves  the  stories 
about  their  severity  bordering  on  cruelty. 
At  the  Vienna  Imperial  House  no  expense 
was  spared  to  give  the  Emperor's  grandchild 
an  exact  education; — no  one  dared  put  any 
affront  upon  the  Prince,  even  the  teachers 
liked  him.     And  about  cruelty? 

Well,  certainly,  it  was  cruel  in  view  of  his- 
tory, that  they  were  forced  to  turn  Great 
Napoleon's  son  into  an  Austrian  Prince. 
Little  Napoleon  says  to  his  uncle.  Arch- 
duke Rainer:  "You  can  beheve  me,  it  is  my 
highest  desire  to  become  a  thoroughly  edu- 
cated, earnest  man." 


IV 


is  a  fable,  a  clumsy  calumny,  Em- 
peror Francis  would  send  his  grand- 
child into  a  cloister.  It  is  true,  the 
whole  Vienna  Imperial  Court  was  afraid  of 
"  Franz "  on  account  of  his  striking  intelli- 
gence;— they  did  not  like  his  courage,  and  the 
inclination  to  arbitrariness,  shown  by  him  al- 
ready as  a  child,  and  they  were  afraid  he  would 
overthrow  Metternich's  plan,  which  was  to 
make  him  a  celebrated  Austrian  soldier. 
They  had  much  care  for  the  open  question, 
what  might  happen  if  Franz  should  find 
occasion  to  leave  his  prison?  At  Vienna  every- 
thing was  done  in  the  favor  of  the  Bourbons, 
to  lame  the  Napoleon  politic  for  ever;  jNIetter- 
nich  was  many  times  in  conference  with 
Emperor  Francis  about  the  Prince's  "  dan- 
gerous" future,  and  he  anxiously  would 
avoid,  as  he  says,  "  even  in  the  interest  of 
Napoleon  II.,"\ny  "  pohtical  folly."     It  is 

28 


Z\)C  Mm  of  IRome  29 

true,  the  Emperor  took  every  occasion  to 
favor  the  Bourbons  on  account  of  his  grand- 
child, and  reading  Senator  Hudehst's  follow- 
ing words:  "  It  is  beyond  my  comprehension, 
what  is  to  be  done  with  this  Prince  of  Parma. 
If  it  depended  upon  me,  I  would  make  him  a 
priest,  and  later,  may  be,  a  bishop," — we  can 
see  it  was  a  capital  question  at  Vienna  to 
erase  little  Napoleon's  political  career.  But 
it  is  hard  to  believe  Emperor  Francis  would 
force  him  to  become  a  priest.  He,  certainly, 
would  be  glad  if  "  Franz  "  would  do  it  of  his 
own  free  will  for  then  Francis  II.  would  be- 
come at  once  free  of  this  political  question, 
and  he  would  not  be  forced  any  more  to  con- 
fer about  it  so  often  with  Metternich.  How- 
ever, he  loved  his  grandchild, — he  loved  him 
only  like  a  weak-willed  old  man,  but  cer- 
tainly never  thought  about  Franz's  priesthood. 
If  it  seems  to  be  incredible  the  grand- 
father would  condemn  his  grandchild  to  be  a 
priest, — it  is  just  as  hard  to  believe  a  remark 
of  Count  Prokesch-Osten,  who  will  be  men- 
tioned later  which,  he  says,  shows  Em- 
peror Francis's  nobility :  "  If  the  French 
Nation  and  the  confederated  powers  would 


30  Zbc  IkiuG  of  *lRome 

allow  it  to  3^ou,  I  never  would  impede  you  in 
keei)ing  possession  of  thj^  father's  throne." 

This  sounds  just  like  a  fable.  Especially 
in  view  of  the  circumstance  that  the  Emper- 
or's "  love  "  towards  his  grandchild  was  con- 
fined just  to  his  sentiments,  and  never  proved 
by  political  acts.  And  it  is  hard  to  under- 
stand how  this  fable  could  be  made  even 
by  Prokesch,  who  knew  everything  about 
"  Franz  "  and  who  never  told  fables.  If  Em- 
l^eror  Francis  would  allow  his  grandchild  to 
walk  in  his  own  w^ay,  he  had  many  occasions 
to  give  proof  of  it.  And  if  Count  Prokesch- 
Osten  knew  the  instruction  given  by  the 
Emperor  to  Count  Hartmann,  June  9,  1831, 
— and  he  certainly  did  know  it, — how  could 
he  make  such  a  remark? 

"  I  strictly  forbid  you,"  says  Emperor 
Francis  to  the  said  Count,  "  to  allow  anyone, 
whom  you  do  not  know  entirely,  to  see  the 
Prince  who  is  not  to  be  infected  by  danger- 
ous ( ?)  and  adventurous  ideas.'* 

I  am  really  far  from  excusing  the  grand- 
father's narrow-mindedness  towards  his 
grandchild,  for  which  no  political  circum- 
stance could  lay  down  reasons, — however,  we 


Zhc  Mm  of  IRome  31 

can  frankly  say,  the  bad  treatment  of  little 
Napoleon  was  not  all  his  fault.  Emperor 
Francis,  on  account  of  his  education,  was  ac- 
customed to  let  other  persons  think  for  him, 
and  he  stood  entirely  under  ^Metternich's  in- 
fluence. The  Chancellor's  political  merits 
were  highly  esteemed  by  him, — therefore  he 
was  not  energetic  enough  to  impede  his  pro- 
posals, and  it  is  undoubted  he  would  do  every- 
thing in  his  grandchild's  favor  ...  if  ]Met- 
ternich  had  given  him  adequate  suggestions. 

And  JMetternich? 

Well,  he  would  become  a  better  Austrian 
than  his  Emperor. 

Certainly,  he  had  to  save  the  Austrian  po- 
litical interests,  but  he  could  do  that  without 
any  injustice. 

It  was  an  injustice  to  estrange  little  Na- 
poleon from  his  native  country,  even  from 
his  father!  Metternich  would  like  to  see 
"  Franz  "  forget  everything  about  his  father 
and  France.  But  he  could  not  succeed  on 
account  of  Franz's  sincere  and  enthusiastic 
love  towards  his  father  and  France,  and  that 
makes  the  Chancellor  once  more  guilty  of 
injustice. 


32  ZTbc  IkiriG  of  IRome 

Who  could  imagine  an  education  whicK 
does  not  allow  the  pupil  to  love  his  father 
and  his  native  country?  Such  cannot  be 
called  "  education," — it  is  cruelty  and  .  .  . 
stupidity. 

When  Napoleon  II.  had  occasion  to  return 
to  Paris  and  to  ascend  his  father's  throne,  he 
was  by  all  means  prevented  from  doing  it.  It 
is  possible  to  find  a  reason  for  this  injustice 
in  view  of  Europe's  political  concert, — but, 
who  could  find  reason  or  excuse  for  the  fact 
that  "  Franz  "  never  could  keep  possession  of 
"  his  "  Princedom  of  Parma,  and  that  he  never 
had  seen  "  his  "  Reichstadt  manor? 

It  is  hard,  if  not  merely  impossible,  to  find 
in  history's  dictionary  an  adequate  expres- 
sion for  such  treatment.  It  is  an  undoubted 
historical  fact,  the  whole  Vienna  Imperial  pal- 
ace was  afraid  of  little  Napoleon's  splendid  in- 
telligence. Therefore  the  motto  was :  to  avoid 
the  arousing  of  his  intelligence. 

Marie  Louise  had  not  enough  vigor,  not 
enough  motherly  sentiment  to  do  anything 
against  these  machinations.  Her  son's  future, 
it  can  be  frankly  said,  was  in  her  hands,  and 
she  was  the   only   one   who   could   moderate 


Zhc  Mm  of  IRome  33 

Metternich's  blind  odium  and  ailing  fear.  A 
little  bit  of  perseverance, — a  little  bit  of  cour- 
age,— and  a  little  bit  of  .  .  .  love, — and 
3''oung  Napoleon's  life  were  a  happier  one. 
A  mother  has  not  only  to  be  courageous.  A 
mother  has  to  be,  under  certain  circumstances, 
a  hero.  History  shows  us  the  greatest  hero- 
ines among  mothers.  But  JNIarie  Louise  did 
not  belong  to  that  class  of  women.  She  flat- 
tered JNIetternich, — she  ever  and  ever  gives 
thanks  to  her  father  without  knowing  what 
for, — she  was  ever  satisfied.  Her  feebleness 
is  a  great  excuse  for  her  father. 

Why? 

If  Emperor  Francis  had  seen  his  daughter 
fighting  for  her  son's  and  his  grandchild's  in- 
terest, it  is  impossible  to  think  he  would  not 
appreciate  his  daughter's  wishes.  It  may  be, 
he  had  refused  several  of  her  requests, — how- 
ever, so  many  injustices  would  not  have  been 
done.  But  seeing  his  daughter  the  incarna- 
tion of  contentment,  he  thought  his  grand- 
child's education  and  future  were  in  the  best 
way.  To  get  a  clear  view  of  L'Aiglon, 
we  have  to  elbow  our  way  through  many 
contradictions. 


34  ^bc  HUuG  of  IRome 

For  example:  It  was  said, — and  it  is  be- 
lieved to-day  by  a  great  many  persons, — the 
teachers  were  forbidden  to  mention  before  the 
Prince  his  father's  name,  even  his  French 
descent. 

Nonsense. 

That  were  too  hard  a  task  in  view  of  the 
pupil's  intelligence.  Another  piece  of  non- 
sense was  to  attribute  excessive  value  to 
Emperor  Francis's  instruction,  given  to  Met- 
ternich  in  the  following:  "I  wish  to  hold  in 
great  respect  before  the  Prince  his  father's 
name.  Bo  not  keep  from  him  the  truth, 
and  teach  him  to  love,  to  esteem,  and  to  re- 
spect his  father." 

To  keep  the  straight  way  between  these 
contradictions,  it  has  to  be  stated  that  ]Met- 
ternich  visited  his  helpless  odium  against  Na- 
poleon upon  his  innocent  son,  and  did 
everything  to  cross  little  Napoleon's  political 
and  historical  career,  even  to  juggle  with 
history, — but  he  was  not  so  insane  as  to  deny 
his  descent. 

And  Dietrichstein's  remarkable  report,  given 
to  the  Emperor,  June  17,  1816,  and  say- 
ing: *' It  is  undeniable  we  cannot  keep  from 


^be  IkluG  of  IRoine  35 

the  Prince  his  descent  and  his  father's  past 
glory,  but,  on  the  contrary,  he  should  know 
everything, — however,  it  is  of  greatest  conse- 
quence to  tell  him  these  things  only  when  he 
has  gained  a  certain  degree  of  mental  matur- 
ity, otherwise  it  were  dangerous  for  him," — 
shows  nothing  else  than  his  (Dietrichstein's) 
fixed  delusion  to  surpass  everybody  even 
Metternich. 

One  morning  in  July,  1816,  the  King  of 
Rome,  taking  his  daily  walk  accompanied  by 
Foresti,  took  occasion  to  drive  his  teacher  into 
a  delicate  conversation. 

"  Will  you  tell  me,  please,  who  is  the  pres- 
ent Sovereign  of  France? " 

"A  King,"  answered  Foresti. 

*'  Well,  but  I  know  it  was  formerly  an  Em- 
peror.    Could  you  tell  me  who  it  was?" 

"  It  was  your  father,  my  Prince,  who  lost 
his  crown  and  all  his  power  on  account  of  his 
exceeding  warlike  inclination." 

"  Franz  "  listened.  Then  he  said  he  had 
read  through  the  history  of  France  {Fastes  de 
France),  and  after  this  characteristic  remark 
he  grieved  that  this  book  was  taken  from  him, 
and  said  he  knew  all  the  wars  fought  by  his 


2,(>  Z\)C  Ikiiuj  of  IRome 

father.  And  then  the  hoy  of  six  years  asked 
the  following  question: 

"  What  do  you  think  about  my  dear  father? 
Was  he  a  malefactor  on  account  of  all  the 
blood  he  shed? " 

"It  is  not  our  task  to  judge  of  him.  Love 
your  father  and  pray  for  him." 

Returning  from  his  walk  he  gladly  said 
before  Collin :  "  I  had  a  talk  with  Captain 
Foresti  about  many  things  in  regard  to  my 
dear  father." 

Two  years  later  he  gave  the  same  Collin  a 
similar  cross-examination. 

"  Could  you  tell  me,"  he  said,  *'  why  I  was 
called  former  King  of  Rome?" 

"  That  was  at  a  time  when  your  father  had 
still  great  power." 

"  Do  you  not  know  whether  Rome  did  be- 
long to  my  father? " 

"  Not  at  all.  Rome  is  the  Pope's 
residence." 

"  My  father  is  now  in  the  East  Indies, — is 
it  not  so? " 

*'  I  cannot  understand  why  he  should  be 
there?" 

*'  Then,  where  is  he?      My  ladies  told  me 


Napoleon  II.  as  Austrian  Colonel 

(Pinx.:  Daffingc.) 
Imperial  Oallery  of  Engravings,  \'ienna 


^be  IkiuG  of  1Romc  37 

once  my  father  had  been  in  England,  and  later 
he  escaped  from  there." 

"  That  is  entirely  wrong.  Do  you  not  re- 
member, my  Prince,  how  many  times  you  have 
misunderstood  things  you  heard?  I  can  give 
you  my  word  of  honor,  your  father  has  never 
been  in  England." 

For  a  short  time  the  intelligent  boy 
pondered,  then  he  replied:  "If  I  do  well  re- 
member, I  heard  my  father  struggled  with 
penury." 

"  How  could  you  get  such  an  idea?  " 

"  You  majr  be  right,"  the  Prince  replied, 
*'  it  seems  to  me  improbable  too." 

Then  he  smiled.  And  his  smile  showed 
the  son's  anxious  love  towards  his  father,  about 
whom  he  liked  so  much  to  know  the  truth, — 
and  his  smile  proved  it  to  be  hard  to  fool 
him. 

On  another  occasion,  during  a  lesson,  he 
once  surprised  Foresti  with  this  remark :  "  I 
think  Napoleon  was,  however,  a  great  gen- 
eral, becoming  King  by  his  own  power." 

"  You  are  mistaken,"  replied  Foresti,  "  he 
was  Emperor." 

"  Tell  me,  please,  this  Napoleon  was  the 


w    ?  f^  ''»  r  er 
±  ^  >  D  ^  D  5 


3S  Zhc  Mm  of  IRoine 

same  who  married  my  mother  one  year  before 
mybh'th?" 

"  Certainly,"  answered  the  teacher,  and  at 
once  made  the  remark,  "  all  European  powers 
were  confederated  against  Napoleon  because 
he  would  conquer  all  the  world." 

Young  Napoleon  was  not  yet  satisfied. 

"  Many  times  I  heard,"  he  said,  "  my  dear 
father  to  be  now  in  Africa.  Will  you  tell  me 
the  truth  about  that?" 

At  the  same  instant  an  Imperial  valet  en- 
tered the  room  and  saved  Foresti  from  an- 
swering this  delicate  question,  which  he,  now 
and  later,  always  avoided  answering. 

These  conversations  are  a  true  mirror  of  the 
"  cleared-up  "  spirit  in  which  little  Napoleon's 
education  was  led.  No  other  arguments  are 
necessary  to  see  how  this  "  education "  was 
adequate  to  the  grandfather's  "  love,"  and 
to  the  mother's  "  holy  duties." 


Y  grandchild's  education  has  to  be 
based  upon  the  truth,"  says  Em- 
peror Francis  to  Dietrichstein. 
"  Answer  any  question.  That  is  the  straight- 
est  and  the  best  way  to  satisfy  his  curiosity 
and  to  gain  his  sympathy,  which  you  need  if 
j'ou  will  lead  him  with  success." 

These  words  are  perpetuated  in  a  historical 
document,  otherwise  it  could  be  disproved  in 
view  of  the  circumstance  that  the  Emperor 
did  nothing  to  prove  their  sincerity. 

The  teachers  did  not  disclose  before  their 
pupil  his  father's  past  glory, — ^they  knew  he 
would  take  notice  of  it  without  their  "  kind  " 
communication.  But  they  showed  him  his 
father  merely  as  a  heartless  tyrant,  and  denied 
all  his  good  and  great  qualities.  Foresti  was 
the  most  intimate  of  the  teachers,  which  cir- 
cumstance was  noticed  by  Wertheimer,  the 
aforementioned  historiographer,  to  show  how 
much  L'Aiglon  hked  his  tutors,  and  to  prove 

39 


40  ^be  IkiuG  of  IRotne 

thereby  that  no  exception  could  be  taken  to 
the  method  of  education. 

It  is  true  Foresti's  kindness  was  entirely 
appreciated  by  little  Napoleon, — we  can  even 
speak  without  exaggeration  of  their  mutual 
friendship.  But  this  friendship  was  not  sin- 
cere on  Foresti's  part,  because  he  still  did  not 
tell  him  the  truth  as  to  his  father's  where- 
abouts. 

One  of  the  teachers,  Obenaus,  gives  an  in- 
teresting characterization  of  "  Franz."  He 
calls  him  willful,  vehement,  and  ungovernable. 
Then  he  complains  that  his  pupil  hates  to 
learn  "  by  rote,"  but  at  the  same  time  he  ad- 
mires his  sharp  intellect,  his  curiosity,  and 
his  unlimited  ambition  to  know  everji:hing. 
Napoleon's  son  shows  soon  his  inclination  to 
independence;  he  is  looking  out  for  occasion 
to  do  his  own  will ;  and  having  his  will  entirely 
suppressed,  he,  for  example,  opens  his  over- 
coat not  caring  for  his  health  and  the  nasty 
and  cold  weather, — only  to  do  what  he  wishes 
to  do.  Many  particulars  could  be  told  to 
show  how  anxiously  he  searched  to  be  free,  at 
least  for  a  moment,  from  his  teachers'  control, 
which  has  gone  beyond  the  limits  called  for 


Zhc  Iking  of  1Romc  41 

by  a  reasonable  education.  Obenaus  always 
showed  a  kind  demeanor  towards  his  pupil, 
and  he  was  always  consistent  in  his  treatment 
towards  him, — however,  he  wished  to  turn 
Franz's  mind  to  JNIetternich's  instructions, 
but  he  never  used  any  force,  on  the  contrary, 
he  tried  to  fulfill  his  duty  with  much  of  tact. 

Dietrichstein,  on  the  contrary,  was  often 
exceedingly  severe,  even  impolite  towards 
*'  Franz  " ;  he  was  hypnotized  by  the  fixed 
idea  that  every  responsibility  was  upon  his 
shoulders, — ^he  feared  JNIetternich,  and  his 
ambition  was  to  become  the  most  influential 
of  the  teachers.  It  may  be,  he  did  this  not 
entirely  because  of  cruelty,  but  through  ser- 
vility; however,  he  is  guilty  of  rude  injustice. 
[By  all  means  he  would  stifle  his  pupil's  lively 
humor,  to  erase,  he  says,  radically  any  war- 
like inclination.  He  is  not  only  the  leader 
of  Franz's  education; — he  really  makes  psy- 
chological studies  about  him,  but  for  his  own 
and  not  for  Franz's  good. 

The  difference  between  Dietrichstein  and 
Metternich  is  only  this: 

Metternich  fears  Napoleon  II.  and  he  does 
ever}i:hing  to  impede  the  possibiHty  of  Franz's 


42  ^bc  MwQ  of  IRome 

political  future, — Dietrichstein  does  not  be- 
lieve the  political  situation  could  be  ever 
favorable  for  his  pupil,  therefore,  (oh,  the 
gentleman  he  is!)  he  anxiously  takes  care  to 
save  his  pupil  any  grief,  which  could  be  not 
avoided,  if  the  Prince  were  educated  for  a 
Sovereign.  He  goes  even  further  in  his 
imagined  wisdom,  thinking  to  save  Franz's 
own  interest,  suffocating  every  self-willed  in- 
clination, and  he  does  it  with  a  roughness.  He 
would  make  the  lion's  son  a  lamb.  That  was 
a  hard  task,  even  a  dangerous  undertaking 
with  the  young  lion's  brain  and  sensible  heart. 
And  he  thought  he  had  succeeded,  though  he 
could  not  reach  his  end.  He  could  only  squeeze 
the  young  lion  in  a  lambskin,  but  he  could 
not  make  him  feel  quite  at  home  in  this 
''  stranger  "  suit. 

Dietrichstein  was  satisfied  with  himself. 

All  right. 

The  Frenchman  says:  "  Chaqu'un  a  son 
gout."  (Everybody  does  according  to  his 
taste). 

We  can  easily  see  In  which  way  Dietrich- 
stein became  satisfied  with  himself. 

"  I  do  not  like  to  become  an  Austrian.     I 


^be  1klno  of  IRotnc  43 

have  to  be,  I  scarcely  dare  say  it,  a  good 
Frenchman,"  says  the  boy,  probably  under  the 
influence  of  the  "  cleared  up  "  education  ( ?) . 
And  Dietrichstein,  the  heroic  soldier,  took  oc- 
casion to  put  into  his  diary  the  following  re- 
mark: "That  is  too  much!  He  has  to  be 
made,  by  all  means,  all  over  an  Austrian." 

And  so  on. 

He  really  was  proud  of  his  great  "  success," 
but  he  has  forgotten,  it  was  not  to  his  effort 
alone  that  little  Napoleon's  will  was  later  en- 
tirely quelled. 

Every  excess  in  education  is  a  fault.  If 
such  an  excess  be  made  maliciously,  then  it 
becomes  a  sin,  a  grievous  crime,  ^vhich  bears 
with  all  its  heavy  weight  upon  the  educator's 
conscience.  It  may  be,  if  Dietrichstein  really 
would  give  his  pupil  a  good  education,  trying 
to  turn  him  wdth  kindness  into  an  Austrian, 
he  could  have  gained  more  of  success,  because 
what  he  reached  cannot  be  called  "  success." 

"  The  Prince,"  he  says  to  Archduke  Rainer, 
September  17,  1816,  "already  reads  French 
fluently.  I  am  exceedingly  glad  to  inform 
Your  Imperial  Highness,  he  has  spoken  Ger- 
man for  three  wrecks  for  the  most  part,  and 


44  <rbc  liuiuj  Of  IRomc 

shows  in  this  language  a  pretty  cleverness. 
It  is  remarkable,  some  weeks  before  he  spoke 
German  only  to  his  servants,  but  at  the  pres- 
ent time  he  uses  this  language  without  any 
force." 

And  he  calls  that  a  "  success." 

Is  it  a  success  if  a  young  French  boy  uses 
the  German  language  in  his  conversation  with 
his  teachers,  when  they  speak  to  him  only  in 
German?  If  he  could  inform  the  said  Arch- 
duke, "  the  Prince  already  likes  to  speak  Ger- 
man," that  were  really  a  success,  but  he  never 
could  reach  that. 

When  the  King  of  Rome  was  fifteen 
years  old,  Dietrichstein  was  happy  in  saying: 
"  The  Prince  speaks  the  French  language 
sufficiently  well.  His  pronunciation  is  cor- 
rect but  his  writing  is  imperfect.  The  way  in 
which  he  expresses  his  thoughts  shows  clearly 
that  he  thinks  in  German.  His  translations 
from  German  to  French  show  plenty  of  "  Ger- 
manisms," and  he  is  simply  unable  to  write  a 
letter  in  French." 

Why  does  not  this  "  proud  gentleman  "  tell 
us  the  greater  "success"  his  pupil  made  in 


Zhc  IkiiiG  of  IRomc  45 

the  German  language,  the  more  he  disliked 
this  language? 

Count  Dietrichstein  really  became  blind 
about  everything  except  the  imagined  glory 
of  his  "  successes."  No,  he  was  not  blind 
when  he  saw  the  golden  eagles  upon  some 
books  brought  by  ^larie  Louise  from  Paris, 
and  he  anxiously  took  these  "  dangerous " 
books  from  "  Franz."  And  that  was  called  a 
"  cleared-up "  education  afraid  of  printed 
French  Imperial  eagles. 

Young  Napoleon  hked  to  speak  often  about 
his  father.  Who  does  not  like  to  do  it? 
Later  he  gave  up  this  innocent  pleasure,  hear- 
ing ever  and  ever  the  same  reply;  "  These 
things  you  know  only  by  nursery  tales  which 
you  heard  when  you  were  a  child,  unable  to 
understand  such  fables." 


VI 

T  has  been  told  before  that  DIetrichstein 
was  anxious  by  all  means  to  remove 
the  French  ladies  from  young  Na- 
poleon, but  he  had  hard  work.  These  ladies 
were  brought  by  Marie  Louise  and  he  had  to 
reiterate  many  times  his  requests  before  Count- 
ess Montesquieu,  the  Lady  of  Honor,  and  Ma- 
dame Marchand,  the  boy's  faithful  and  true 
nurse,  were  finally  sent  away.  Then  Emile 
Goberau,  the  Fi-ench  valet's  son,  a  boy  of 
seven,  and  young  Napoleon's  favorite  play- 
fellow— even  Flambeau,  the  true  old  grenad- 
ier, who  never  left  the  Prince's  ante-chamber, 
were  removed  too.  All  these  Dietrichstein 
thought  to  be  dangerous  obstacles  to  a  good 
education. 

Going  further  in  his  mania  he  forbade  his 
fellow-laborers  to  speak  with  "  Franz  "  about 
his  father  and  this  fantasy  goes  so  far  that  he 
is  afraid  even  when  he  sees  his  pupil  playing 
with  his  wooden  soldiers,  which  play,  he  thinks, 

46 


Miss   Maude   Adams  as   Duke  ok    Reichstadt  in   Rostand's 
"L'Aiglon" 


^be  Ikino  of  IRoine  47 

may  awaken  warlike  inclinations.  From  1815 
to  1830  he  anxiously  took  care  to  avoid  any 
*'  dangerous "  conversation,  and  during  this 
time  nobody  could  enter  young  Napoleon's 
room  without  undergoing  a  hard  cross-exami- 
nation. Even  when  Gen.  Belliard,  sent  by 
the  French  King  Louis  Philippe,  came  to  see 
the  Prince,  Dietrichstein  curtly  forbade  him 
this  visit. 

If  we  like  to  know  Dietrichstein's  "  peda- 
gogical wisdom,"  it  is  remarkable  to  hear  his 
own  words,  spoken  to  young  Napoleon  Au- 
gust 24,  1826,  because  he  did  not  like  to  take 
his  daily  walk:  "Do  wdiat  you  wish.  You 
hold  your  future  in  your  own  hand.  We, 
your  tutors,  can  easily  give  of  ourselves  a  most 
satisfactorj^  account.  Our  great  merits  ( ?) 
in  regard  to  your  education  are  well  knowTi 
and  appreciated  by  everybody.  But  I  think 
it  is  now  time  you  would  take  into  considera- 
tion how  greatly  you  are  responsible  for  every- 
thing you  do.  You  are  responsible  not  only 
at  the  present  time,  but  in  the  next  world  too." 
This  great  philosopher — do  you  not  think 
Dietrichstein  was  one? — contradicted  himself 
many  times.     He  does  not  like  to  speak    with 


48  Zhc  Mm  of  IRome 

3^oung  Napoleon  about  the  Great  French  Em- 
peror, and  he  carefully  avoids  any  remem- 
brance of  Napoleon's  glory.  Then  in  1818 
he  says  to  Obenaus:  "  I  think  it  is  time  to  in- 
form the  Prince,  together  with  other  things, 
about  his  father's  history,  of  which  he  now 
knows  so  many  particulars.  I  am  very  sorry 
I  could  not  find  the  proper  book  which  could 
be  used  for  that  purpose  without  any  danger. 
However,  I  trust  in  you  that  3^ou  will  perform 
this  dehcate  task  wisely  in  the  Prince's  inter- 
est as  you  have  hitherto  done." 

The  same  year  Franz  was  appointed  by  his 
grandfather  Captain  in  the  Austrian  Imperial 
Hunter  regiment.  The  new  Captain  was 
happy.  The  following  letter,  sent  by  him  to 
Foresti,  shows  his  exceeding  joy. 

"Vienna,  August  19,  1828. 
"  My  Dear  Colleague  : 

*'  I  hasten  to  inform  you  of  the  happiest 
event  of  my  life.  This  is  an  event,  which,  at 
last,  the  more  unexpected  it  is,  the  more  joy- 
ful it  has  been.  It  makes  me  the  happiest 
man  in  the  world. 

"  Yesterday,    before    noon,    the    Emperor 


Zhc  Mm  of  IRome  49 

called  my  mother  to  his  writing-room.  After 
a  brief  interview,  she  came  out  with  shining 
face,  and  apparently  in  good  humor,  spoke 
with  the  General  and  the  Count. 

"  During  the  dinner  she  spoke  much  with 
the  Emperor,  always  smiling  at  me.  After 
dinner  the  Emperor  played,  as  usual,  cards. 
Then,  finishing  the  play,  he  called  me.  '  I 
know,'  the  Emperor  said,  'you  have  wanted 
something  for  a  long  time,'  while  in  my  em- 
barrassment, I  could  only  answer:  '  I,  your 
Majesty?'  'Yes,'  replied  the  Emperor,  'and 
to  show  my  appreciation  of  my  satisfaction, 
and  for  the  services  I  exj^ect  from  you,  I  here- 
with appoint  you  Captain  in  my  Hunting 
Regiment.  Be  a  good  man,  that  is  all  I  ask  of 
you.'  With  these  words  His  Majest}^  dis- 
missed me.  I  was  so  elated  that  I  could  hardly 
respond.  As  I  got  into  the  reception-room, 
I  found  there  the  Empress  (he  ever  called  his 
mother  'Empress'),  the  Archduchesses,  and 
all  the  gentlemen,  already  waiting  to  con- 
gratulate me.  I  hurried  to  my  mother  know- 
ing I  owed  my  appointment  to  her. 

"  She  had  been  preparing  the  Emperor  for 
the  last  few  days,  but  yesterday  she  openly 


50  Zhc  IkluG  of  IRome 

came  out  with  her  request.  The  Emperor  was 
first  reluctant  and  wanted  to  know  Count 
Dietrichstein's  opinion.  He  joined  my  mother 
in  her  request  and  this  decided  it.  The  de- 
cision was  made  yesterday,  and  Gen.  Kutsch- 
era,  of  whom  I  shall  always  think  with  deep 
gratitude,  notified  Prince  Ilohenzollern  (the 
Commander  of  the  Austrian  Imperial  Hunt- 
ers) last  night. 

"  I  shall  also  soon  be  announced  as  a  Cap- 
tain in  the  army.  Gen.  Neipperg,  who  al- 
ways manifested  his  good  will  towards  me, 
was  glad  that  I  have  become  an  officer,  and 
Gen.  Salis,  whom  I  told  about  my  appoint- 
ment, immediately  thought  how  pleased  you 
would  be  to  hear  this. 

*'  And,  really,  my  dear  friend,  you  are 
the  one,  whom  I  should  first  inform  of  my  ap- 
pointment to  the  officers'  corps,  which  you 
have  been  serving  with  great  honors  for  years, 
since  you  gave  me  the  first  lessons  in  the  mili- 
tary profession,  outside  of  which  you  told  me 
I  must  not  choose  any  other.  Now  we  shall 
really  study  the  military  sciences,  and  nothing 
shall  discourage  me. 

"  My  self-respect  and  the  desire  to  become 


Zhc  Mm  of  IRome  51 

worthy  of  the  great  honor  bestowed  upon  me 
will  cliange  me.  I  shall  give  up  all  childish- 
ness, and  shall  become  a  man  in  the  truest 
sense  of  the  word.  This  is  my  earnest  de- 
cision. It  is  unnecessary  to  say,  my  dear 
Colleague,  that  there  is  no  question  yet  of 
entering  active  service,  but  I  know  that  this 
can  only  take  place  when  I  shall  have  finished 
my  studies  and  proved  the  maturity  of  my 
mind. 

"  The  Count  will  write  you  in  detail  about 
my  equipment  and  I  only  ask  you  to  kindly 
hasten  it. 

"  Give  my  best  regards  to  Mr.  Obenaus, 
Major  Weiss,  and  Barthelemy,  who  shall,  I 
feel  certain,  be  glad  of  my  appointment,  and 
also  the  Court  Chaplain. 

"  I  remain,  dear  Colleague, 

"  Your  servant  and  friend, 
"  Franz  von  Reichstadt,  Captain." 


The  youth  of  seventeen  who  gained  his  men- 


52  Zbc  Ikino  of  IRome 

tal  maturity  so  quickly,  was  on  account  of  his 
appointment  so  hopeful!  Alas  he  had  to  be 
convinced  soon  that  he  had  with  this  "  appoint- 
ment "  absolutely  nothing  else  than  the  uni- 
form. The  Captain  Avas  moreover  treated 
like  a  schoolboy,  and  even  his  thoughts  were 
anxiously  controlled.  No  wonder  he  searched 
every  occasion  to  show  his  own  will  and  it  was 
not  his  fault  that  he  had  only  childish  occasions 
to  do  tliis.  During  lessons  he  acted  very  often 
as  if  he  were  absolutely  incapable  of  under- 
standing his  teachers'  explanations  and  the 
easiest  questions  were  answered  b}'-  him  in  a 
wrong  way,  and  only  after  a  while,  having 
fooled  the  desperate  teachers,  he  shows  that  he 
understood  everything.  He  was  exceedingly 
curious,  he  liked  to  know  everything,  and  he 
passed  all  his  free  time  in  reading.  In  learn- 
ing as  his  father  did,  he  does  not  care  to 
know  his  lessons  "by  heart."  He  "under- 
stood "  all  the  things  he  learned. 

Often  he  played  during  lessons  or  he  played 
a  trick  upon  one  of  his  teachers ;  he  even  fibbed 
a  little,  but  only  because  he  knew  it  to  be 
forbidden. 

These  are  some  of  the  drawbacks  of  this 


^be  1kino  of  IRotne  53 

"  excellent "  education,  suffocating  all  the 
individuality. 

He  watches  Dietrichstein's  every  move- 
ment and  when  he  sees  him  talking  with  some 
one  of  his  entourage,  he  steals  up  and  hides  be- 
hind the  door  or  some  piece  of  furniture  listen- 
ing, hoping  that  he  might  hear  a  few  words 
.    .    .    about  his  father. 

Metternich  had  no  reason  to  fear  Napoleon 
II.  as  all  his  will  had  been  thoroughly  ener- 
vated. 

Young  Napoleon  was  a  good-hearted  boy, 
inclining  to  gaiety.  These  qualities  were 
anxiously  controlled. 

When  he  was  ten  years  old,  he  took  a  walk 
accompanied  by  Dietrichstein.  Beside  the 
road  he  saw  a  sparrow  eating  a  caterpillar  and 
big  tears  proved  his  good  heart.  He  gladly 
gives  his  favorite  toys  to  the  boys  he  sees  in 
his  walks,  and  often  he  distributes  all  his 
pocket-money  to  the  poor.  INIany  times  he 
says  how  he  regrets  poor  children  being  in  need 
of  bread  while  he  abounds  in  all  good  things. 
The  amiability  of  his  character  is  shown  in 
that  he  never  was  angry  with  Dietrichstein,  not 
even  when  he  gained  his  maturity,  and  under- 


54  Z\K  Ikiiuj  of  IRome 

stood  all  the  injustices;  and  he  shows  attach- 
ment for  one  who  rules  him  in  every  trifle.  He 
even  appears  like  a  little  hero  saying  to  his 
tutor:  "  I  will  think  of  you  with  gratitude  for 
ever." 

We  would  like  to  know  for  what  will  he  think 
with  gratitude  of  Dietrichstein?  Foresti  tells 
us  of  saying  to  Dietrichstein:  "Your  Excell- 
ency, we  better  keep  the  straight  way  of 
justice." 

nJ  When  the  King  of  Rome  was  eighteen  years 
of  age,  1828,  Emperor  Francis  made  him 
Colonel  of  the  Sixtieth  Austrian  Infantry 
regiment,  and  on  this  occasion  he  wished  to 
declare  his  majority  and  to  give  him  a  separate 
household.  Possibly  he  w^ould  calm  his  remorse. 
Really  that  would  have  been  a  great  thing 
for  young  Napoleon,  because  then  he  would 
have  been  equal  to  all  the  other  members  of 
the  Habsburgian  family,  and  he  would  be 
indemnified  for  many  injustices.  But  Die- 
trichstein again  was  filled  with  "  anguish." 
"  Whatever  resolution  may  be  made  by  Your 
Imperial  Majesty,"  he  says  in  his  report,  Au- 
gust  28,    1828,    "my   conscience   is    calmed. 


Zhc  Iklno  ot  IRomc  55 

However  I  should  feel  the  sincerest  sorrow  if 
my  well-meant  proposition  should  not  be  taken 
into  consideration  because  I  see  the  Prince's 
future  would  become  most  dangerous  in  that 
way.  I  have  been  so  many  years  at  his  side — 
I  know  him  thoroughly,  and  therefore  it  seems 
to  be  my  duty  to  call  Your  Majesty's  high  at- 
tention to  the  circumstance,  that  the  Prince  has 
to  be  judged  by  a  special  law." 

Then  he  further  says  he  knows  the  Prince  the 
best  and  he  fears  to  jump  him  into  dangerous 
political  adventures  for  which  his  majority 
would  furnish  many  on  occasion. 

And  he  succeeded.  Emperor  Francis,  how- 
ever, gave  to  his  grandchild  the  title  and  uni- 
form of  a  Colonel,  but  nothing  else.  And  that 
was  only  a  little  bit  more  than  nothing. 

Count  Dietrichstein  retained  even  after  he 
left  his  employ,  a  decisive  influence  upon  Na- 
poleon II.'s  education,  and  he  always  did 
ever^i;hing  against  his  former  pupil's  interest. 

'I  would  rather  know  my  boy  to  he 
strangled  than  to  see  him  become  an  Aus- 
trian Prince"  said  Great  Napoleon  at  one 
time,  when  he  spoke  of  his  son's  future. 

However,  we  have  to  be  impartial. 


56  ^bc  Mm  of  IRomc 

It  is  true  young  Napoleon's  education  was 
led  exclusively  by  the  view  of  Austrian  poli- 
tics. It  is  true  he  had  to  suffer  many  great 
and  hard  injustices;  and  it  is  undeniable  he 
could  have  been  treated  even  without  any  of- 
fence to  this  policy  in  a  much  kinder  and  bet- 
ter way.  Eut  it  is  wrong,  it  is  a  clumsy 
fable  that  his  tutors  had  him  tortured  to  death 
like  base-minded  hirelings,  and  it  is  still 
greater  nonsense  to  believe  they  did  it,  not 
only  with  Metternich's,  but  even  with 
the  Emperor's  knowledge,  yea  even  by  his 
command. 

In  1842  a  pamphlet  was  published  in  which 
was  said  the  aforesaid  Count  Prokesch-Osten 
gave  the  King  of  Rome  a  piece  of  poisoned 
watermelon.  By  another  party  it  was  told 
his  tutors  had  maliciously  ruined  his  morals, 
and  these  fabulists  tell  dreadful  stories  about 
a  notorious  dancer,  Fanny  Elsler. 

Count  INIontbel,  the  French  Ambassador  at 
Vienna,  positively  disproves  these  fables  by 
immediate  experience,  and  the  story  of  at- 
tempted poisoning  was  clearly  disproved  by 
the  said  Count  Prokesch-Osten,  who,  later,  had 
occasion  to  see  Napoleon  III.  and  whom  he 


^be  Ikino  of  TRoine  57 

assured  that  his  cousin,  "  Franz,"  was  not  even 
acquainted  with  Fanny  Elsler. 

The  act,  taken  upon  Napoleon  II.'s  death, 
July  23,  1832,  and  signed  by  the  most  cele- 
brated Austrian  physicians  (IMalfatti,  Wirer, 
Jemlitsch,  Hieber,  Rima,  and  Zangler),  and 
based  on  the  autopsy,  clearly  tells  us  the  cause 
of  his  death.  This  act  says  young  Napo- 
leon's brain,  heart,  and  liver  were  normal;  his 
stomach  was  strikingly  small,  his  chest  also 
too  small,  and  his  left  lung  thoroughly  de- 
stroyed by  pus.  Therefore,  it  is  clear, 
"  Franz  "  was  not  killed  by  the  poisoned  wa- 
termelon nor  by  his  "  friendship  "  with  Fanny 
Elsler.  A  many  times  more  dangerous 
enemy:  phthisis  killed  him! 

Foresti's  diary,  date  July  22,  1832,  has  the 
following  remark:  "  The  Prince  died  July  22, 
1832,  five  o'clock  in  the  morning  at  the  Schoen- 
brunn  Imperial  palace.  His  death  was 
caused  by  phthisis,  and  by  .  .  .  foretold  by; 
Obenaus." 

These  dashes  gave  occasion  to  the  afore- 
mentioned clumsy  fables.  But  what  do  they^ 
mean? 

They   mean   the   said   Obenaus   mistrusted 


58  Zhc  1Idiu3  of  IRomc 

from  the  first  the  celebrated  Doctor  ISIalfatti, 
the  physician-in-chief  of  the  Vienna  Imperial 
Court  whom  he  says  is  responsible  for  a  wrong 
diagnosis.  He  did  not  like  to  tell  frankly  his 
opinion  of  the  physician,  so  these  dashes  do 
not  mean  anything  else  than:  "Doctor  ]Mal- 
fatti's  stupidity." 

On  another  page  of  his  diary  Foresti  says; 
"  It  was  sorrowful  to  see  how  these  "  would-be 
geniuses"  [he  means  Malfatti  and  Hieber], 
stuck  to  their  wrong  diagnosis,  when  they 
knew  the  destroying  disease  and  their  big 
mistake." 

It  is  a  remarkable  historical  fact  that  the 
King  of  Rome  was  doctored  for  liver  com- 
plaint and  the  real  disease  was  recognized  by 
the  "  medical  celebrities  "  only  on  the  last  day. 
But  there  is  no  reason  to  cast  suspicion  upon 
these  physicians.  However,  the  fact  that  they 
were  Metternich's,  j^es,  even  Emperor  Fran- 
cis's physicians  does  not  excuse  their  ignorance. 


p  w 


t-H  ^ 


^    A.    ^ 


c  ^ 


O 


VII 

HE  King  of  Rome  was  well-beloved 
by  everybody,  though  it  will  be  hard 
to  believe  this  of  Count  Dietrich- 
stein.     Only  jNIetternich  hated  him. 

His  winsome  appearance,  his  personal 
amiability  and  his  fascinating  look  made 
everybody  forget  he  was  the  son  of  the  late 
hated  Napoleon. 

His  grandmother,  the  Austrian  Empress, 
called  him  "  ]My  dear  little  boy,"  and  she 
signed  her  letters,  "  Thy  sincerely  loving 
grandmamma."  Archduchess  Sophie,  the 
mother  of  the  present  Austrian  Emperor  and 
Hungarian  King,  who  nursed  "  Franz  "  many 
times  during  his  illness  called  him  "  iNIy  dear 
old  boy,"  and  her  husband.  Archduke  Francis 
Charles,  signed  his  letters,  "  Thy  tender  lov- 
ing Franz."  We  can  see  he  was  not  in  need 
of  love.  But  all  these  had  no  power  to  do 
anything  for  their  beloved  cousin  and  they 

59 


6o  Zbc  IkiuG  of  IRome 

had  to  be  satisfied  to  show  their  love  in  good 
words,  and  kind  treatment. 

The  time  came  soon  when  "  Franz  "  did  not 
care  much  for  any  love.  It  was  the  beginning 
of  the  end.  His  humor  became  day  by  day 
more  sad.  He  lost  his  gaiety  and  his  winsome 
smiles  could  be  seen  but  seldom,  and  when  he 
did  smile  those  about  him  were  forced  to  turn 
their  heads  and  wipe  away  the  tears  from  their 
eyes.  That  was  not  young  Napoleon's  nor 
"  Franz's  "  smile — that  was  death's  cruel  grin ! 
He  cast  down  his  talking  blue  eyes,  he  went 
about  with  his  head  cast  down  as  if  he  were 
walking  in  another  world,  where  he  at  last! — 
would  soon  know  the  truth  about  his  father, 
from  whom  the  cruel  fates  had  torn  him,  and 
who  loved  him  so  much. 

The  weaker  he  got  the  more  he  spoke  about 
his  father  and  he  wept  only  for  shame.  But 
when  he  was  alone  with  Archduchess  Sophie 
then  his  tears  ran  freely. 

Dietrichstein  himself  was  seized  \^dth  great 
consternation  when,  coming  to  see  his  former 
pupil,  he  saw  the  great  change,  but  he  had  for- 
gotten he  had  his  part  in  it:  he  would  have 
turned  him  into  an  Austrian  Prince  but  he  was 


^be  Iking  of  IRome  6i 

unable  to  consummate  this  task.  He  filled 
the  youth's  heart  with  bitterness  and  that  only. 

The  healthy  development  of  "  Franz  "  was 
essentially  hindered  by  his  sudden  growth 
together  with  the  fact  that  his  heart  was  filled 
wdth  so  many  wishes  and  frustrated  hopes 
that  he  was  never  able  to  realize.  The  youth 
of  twenty-one  years  appeared  like  a  dried  up 
old  man,  and  the  fact  that  he  was  in  need  of 
the  sympath}^  which  even  the  poorest  beggar 
enjoys,  made  his  sufferings  harder  still. 
Marie  Louise,  who  had  changed  from  Great 
Napoleon's  wife  to  an  "  elegant  "  adventuress, 
confined  herself  to  saying  to  her  boy  only 
"  good  night."  A  "  good-night  "  after  which 
there  was  no  "  good-morning." 

Captain  Baron  Moll,  the  most  intimate 
friend  of  "  Franz,"  did  not  leave  him  for  a 
moment  during  his  last  days;  he  did  every- 
thing to  alleviate  his  sufferings;  he  spared  no 
trouble  to  soothe  his  pains. 

"  You  see,  dear  friend,  what  a  hard  time  I 
have  made  for  you,"  said  Napoleon  II.  a  few 
hours  before  his  death,  with  a  touching  look 
as  if  he  would  beg  ]M oil's  pardon. 

July  21,  1832,  "  Franz  "  talked  with  Moll 


62  tibe  IkiuG  of  IRome 

about  his  favorite  plan,  the  journey  to  Naples, 
and  he  was  discontented  to  hear  from  Moll 
that  the  coach  ordered  especially  for  that  pur- 
pose was  not  yet  ready.  At  the  same  time 
Doctor  Malfatti  states  death's  immediate  ap- 
proach .  ,  .  and  in  the  Habsburgian  fam- 
ily vault  masons  are  about  to  prepare  a  new 
sepulchre. 

The  night,  his  last  one,  notwithstanding  his 
poor  condition,  was  fairly  good,  and  he  had  a 
short  sleep.  Then,  July  22,  fifteen  minutes 
before  four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  he  waked 
up  and  turned  cold  all  over. 

His  agony  begun. 

"  Help !  Help !  I  will  sink ! "  he  cries,  shak- 
ing, and  then,  exerting  all  his  power,  he  re- 
gained for  a  short  time  his  calmness. 

"I  want  to  see  my  mother!  Call  her! 
Keep  off  this  table!  I  do  not  need  anything 
more !  Mother !  Mother !  "  After  these  words 
he  convulsively  presses  Moll's  hand,  and  after 
a  pitifully  short  silence  he  sat  up  mth  extreme 
exertion  in  his  bed. 

"  Compresses!  Compresses!  "  he  cries.  And 
then  he  fell  backwards.  ]Moll  hastened  to  call 
Marie  Louise  who  some  davs  before  arrived 


Zhc  Mm  of  IRome  63 

at  Vienna.  When  she,  accompanied  by  Arch- 
duke Charles  and  the  whole  Imperial  staff, 
entered  her  son's  death-room,  she,  in  sight  of 
her  dying  child,  fainted  away. 

It  was  too  late! 

The  Court  Chaplain  came  to  administer  ex- 
treme unction  and  "  Franz  "  kept  his  eyes  upon 
the  priest's  every  motion.  Then  he  laid  his 
tired  head  on  his  cushions. 

The  22d  of  July,  1832,  at  five  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  "  L'Aiglon "  left  the  same  room, 
where  his  father  had  addressed  (1805)  liis 
proclamation  against  the  Bourbons. 

He  left  it  forever! 

At  the  fifteenth  anniversary  of  his  ap- 
pointment as  Duke  of  Keichstadt  he  followed 
his  father's  call:  "Come  on,  my  dear  child. 
Now  thou  art  mine,  and  nobody  can  keep  thee 
away ! 

The  death  of  Napoleon  II.  roused  not  only 
in  France,  but  in  Austria,  too,  great 
compassion. 

"  Emperor  Francis  was  deeply  touched  by 
his  grandchild's  death,"  says  Foresti.  And 
the  Emperor  himself  approves  these  w^ords, 


64  Zbc  MwQ  of  IRome 

saying:  "If  I  consider  my  grandchild's  suf- 
ferings, then  his  death  seems  to  me  his  re- 
demption.    But  I  will  miss  him  all  the  time." 

And  Metternich? 

He  said  to  Emperor  Francis:  *' I  am  glad 
that  Your  Imperial  Majesty  has  not  seen  the 
Prince.     I  never  saw  such  a  sorrowful  sight." 

These  words  are  the  Chancellor's  true  photo- 
graph. 

In  the  Vienna  Habsburgian  vault  (in  the 
cloister  of  Cappucine  Fathers),  we  find  the 
following  epitaph: 

"  To  the  perpetual  memory  of  Joseph 
Charles  Francis,  Duke  of  Reichstadt,  son  of 
Napoleon,  Emperor  of  France,  and  Marie 
Louise,  Archduchess  of  Austria,  who  was  born 
at  Paris,  JMarch  20,  1811,  in  his  cradle  called 
King  of  Rome,  distinguished  from  his  contem- 
poraries by  his  excellent  mental  and  bodily 
qualities  and  his  winsome  appearance  and 
discourse;  making  remarkable  progress  in 
study  of  the  military  profession,  and  showing 
exceeding  cleverness  in  exercises.  Phthisis, 
pitifully,  called  him  back  to  his  ances- 
tors, at  Schoenbrunn,  near  Vienna,  July  22, 
1832." 


Zhc  Mm  of  IRome  65 

Some  persons  may  be  will  find  something 
satisfactory  in  this  epitaph. 

Well,  if  it  seems  to  bring  satisfaction,  that 
there  is  made  remembrance  of  Napoleon  I., 
even  of  the  Kingdom  of  Rome,  we  will  not 
fight  against  such  an  opinion.  However,  we 
like  to  state  Napoleon  II.  was  not  in  need  of 
any  recognition.  He  could  be  made  an  Aus- 
trian Prince — he  could  be  called  "  Franz" — 
though  he  was  Great  Napoleon's  son! 

May  he  have  an  undisturbed,  pleasant  sleep ! 


<f  upplements  IT 


67 


Countess  Camerata 

OUNTESS  NAPOLEONA  ELIZA 
CAMERATA,  born  in  Normandy, 
June  3,  1806,  was  the  daughter  of 
Great  Napoleon's  sister,  Marie  Anna  Eliza- 
beth Bonaparte.  Her  father,  Felice,  Duke 
of  Piombino  and  Lucca,  went,  after  the  Em- 
peror, his  brother-in-law,  lost  all  his  power, 
to  Trieste,  then  to  Vienna,  and  later  to  Bo- 
logna. Napoleona  Eliza  was  married  in  1825 
to  Count  Camerata,  but  five  years  later  they 
were  divorced  and  after  that  time  she  was  sup- 
ported by  her  father's  bounty.  When  she 
died  her  son,  Count  Napoleon  Camerata,  in- 
herited her  fortune  of  about  fifteen  million 
francs,  which  she  had  received  on  the  death  of 
her  father.  He  received  an  appointment  in 
the  French  Navy.  After  the  political  strata- 
gem of  Napoleon  III.,  1851,  he  became  a 
member  of  the  French  Senate.  Two  years 
later  he  committed  suicide. 

69 


70  ^be  Iking  of  TRome 

The  said  Countess  Napoleona  Eliza  Cam- 
erata  had  a  hard  task:  she  would  secure  the 
escape  of  her  cousin,  the  King  of  Rome,  from 
Vienna,  and  on  account  of  this  undertaking 
many  strange  stories  were  spread  about 
her. 

The  truth  is  she  was  a  courageous  and  very 
interesting  young  woman — of  course,  every 
courageous  woman  is  interesting — and  it  was 
not  her  fault  that  she  could  not  take  an  im- 
portant part  in  making  history. 

When  she  saw  her  uncles,  Joseph  and  Lu- 
cian  Bonaparte,  would  only  help  their  cousin 
by  letters  and  wTitten  communications,  she  be- 
came impatient,  and  she  hastened  to  "  do " 
something  for  the  young  "  prisoner." 

August  26,  1830,  she  says  in  her  letter  sent 
from  Rome  where  she  was  living,  to  her 
friend,  Countess  Lipona:  "Who  can  foretell 
the  future  ending  of  the  political  events?  For 
my  part,  I  think  we  are  at  the  beginning  of  a 
great  event." 

Really  she  stood  before  a  great  event  which 
was  frustrated  without  her  fault. 

Still  at  the  beginning  she  showed  her  po- 
litical cleverness. 


ConntC06  Camera ta  71 

To  get  the  necessary  passport  she  asked  the 
personal  influence  of  the  Pope  with  the  pre- 
text that  she  would  make  an  absolutely  private 
visit  to  her  father's  Vienna  home.  In  that 
way  she  at  once  received  her  passport,  and  she 
cleverly  solved  another  hard  task.  To  get  her 
passport  conntersigned  by  the  Austrian  Em- 
bassy at  Rome,  she  went  to  see  the  Ambassa- 
dor, Count  Lutzow,  and  would  make  him 
believe  that  she  could  not  stay  any  longer  so 
far  away  from  her  father  whom  she  wished  to 
see  once  more.  "  I  am  now  just  like  my 
father,"  she  said,  "  an  Austrian  subject."  Lut- 
zow believed  this  story  and  countersigned  her 
passport  with  the  condition  that  she  shall  go 
via  Venice  and  Trieste.  He  has  no  idea  that  the 
Countess  will  use  his  signature  for  a  political 
purpose.  His  letter  sent  September,  1830, 
to  Duke  Porcia,  Governor  of  Trieste,  shows 
how  "  well  "  he  was  informed  about  the  young 
Countess's  undertaking:  "  I  am  sure,"  he  says, 
"  there  is  no  reason  to  give  the  Countess  any 
political  importance.  I  know  she  is  very  proud 
of  her  uncle  (Napoleon  I) ,  whom  she  admires, 
and  whom  she  likes  to  imitate,  but  I  do  not 
think  her  able,  nor  capable  of  any  political 


72  Z]K  Mm  of  IRome 

undertaking.  For  such  things  she  has  not 
enough  inteUigence  nor  consideration,  further- 
more she  has  not  enough  money  for  such  a 
purpose." 

A\^hen  Countess  Camerata  arrived  at  Ven- 
ice she  again  sent  a  letter  to  her  friend. 
Countess  Lipona,  informing  her  that  she  was 
going  on  a  voyage  "  about  a  very  important 
affair."  This  letter  fell  into  wrong  hands: 
those  of  a  police  officer,  and  he  brought  it  to 
the  Police-prefect  Cattanei,  who,  after  read- 
ing it,  sent,  October  18th,  a  special  report 
to  Baron  Sedlnitzky,  the  Vienna  Police-pre- 
fect, calling  his  attention  to  the  Countess. 
"  This  young  adventuress,"  he  says,  "  un- 
doubtedly seems  to  set  her  wits  to  work  in 
favor  of  the  Bonapartes."  The  same  Cat- 
tanei called  the  Countess  to  his  office  to  see 
her  passport  and  when  he  could  not  find  any 
legal  reason  to  stop  her  travel  he  personally 
investigated  her  baggage  thoroughly  hoping 
to  find  something  "  suspicious."  Not  being 
able  to  find  anything,  he  let  her  go. 

Countess  Camerata  arrived  at  Trieste  Sep- 
tember 15th,  where  she  had  an  interview  in 
regard   to   her   plan   with   her   aunt,   [Marie 


Countc00  Canierata  iz 

Annunziata  Murat,  ex-Queen  of  Naples. 
The  next  day  she  continued  her  travels. 

Frederick  Masson,  one  of  Napoleon's 
biographers,  tries  to  disprove  in  his  essay 
"  L'Aiglon  et  la  Comtesse  Camerata,"  issued 
in  the  June  copy,  1900,  of  the  Revue  de 
PariSj  that  the  Countess  ever  had  a  passport, 
even  though  she  had  been  in  Vienna,  but  later, 
when  he  saw  his  mistake  he  retracted  his  opin- 
ion. It  is  a  historical  fact  that  she  received 
the  passport  and  reached  Vienna,  but  it  is  sur- 
prising, however,  how  she  could  get  so  far  in 
her  undertaking  with  the  surveillance  she  was 
under  by  the  anxious  Austrian  police?  She 
had  one  great  advantage,  that  she  would  make 
everyone  believe  that  she  really  would  become 
an  Austrian  subject.  Later  the  same  police 
had  reason  to  regret  their  somewhat  careless 
surveillance. 

The  historical  fact  is,  the  Countess  was  on 
November  11,  1830,  at  the  Vienna  Imperial 
palace,  where  she  found  out  which  way  her 
cousin  is  to  go  as  he  went  from  the  second 
floor  to  Obenaus'  room  downstairs.  There 
she  met  him  and  at  this  interview  she  enthusi- 
astically siezed  and  kissed  her  cousin's  hand, 


74  Z\x  Mm  ot  IRome 

and  at  his  protest  she  cried:  "Who  may  for- 
bid me  to  kiss  my  Emperor's  hand?" 

Probably  at  this  interview  she  had  no  time 
to  intimate  to  her  cousin  about  her  plan.  This 
is  proved  by  letters  she  sent  to  him.  But  this 
interview  really  happened,  and  that  young 
Napoleon  laiew  the  visitor  is  proved  by  Die- 
trichstein's  diary,  which  date,  November  11, 
1830,  has  the  following  remark:  "  The  Prince 
has  seen  down  stairs  near  Obenaus's  room  the 
Countess  Camerata." 

The  Countess  spoke  German  fluently  and 
owing  to  this  she  was  able  to  bribe  one  of  the 
valets  who  smuggled  her  letters  into  the  Im- 
perial palace.  At  the  question,  why  L'Aiglon 
did  not  take  his  cousin's  advice  (?)  we  have 
to  answer,  because  these  letters  fell  into  Die- 
trichstein's  hands,  who  tells  us  in  his  diarj'-, 
November  30:  "Countess  Camerata  sent  two 
letters  to  the  Prince.'* 

Count  Prokesch-Osten — it  is  hard  to  find 
out  the  reason,  why — tries  to  disprove  that  the 
Countess  had  time  to  see  her  cousin,  and  he 
says,  she  could  not  have  arrived  at  Vienna  be- 
fore November  9th,  and  two  days,  he  says, 
were  too  short  a  time  to  find  an  opportunity 


Countc06  Camcrata  75 

to  enter  the  Imperial  palace  secretly.  Now 
we  know  the  Countess  left  Trieste  October 
19th,  and  she  certainly,  even  with  the  slowest 
post-chaise,  could  reach  Vienna  within  ten 
days,  in  which  case  she  arrived  at  the  Austrian 
metropolis  at  least  two  weeks  before  the  said 
interview. 

Another  surprising  remark  of  the  same 
Count  Prokesch  is  an  untruth:  lie  would  make 
us  believe  neither  Duke  Metternich  nor  Baron 
Sedlnitzky,  the  Vienna  Police-prefect,  knew 
nothing  about  the  Countess's  journey  and  ar- 
rival in  Vienna,  and  he  says  this  "  secret " 
came  out  only  after  young  Napoleon's  death. 
The  historical  fact  is,  ISIetternich  and  Sedlnit- 
zky knew  very  well  about  her  arrival,  they 
knew  everything  about  her  journey  to  Vienna 
and  they  were  exactly  informed  in  regard  to 
all  her  movements.  The  Archives  of  the 
Vienna  ministerium  for  home  affairs  has  a  let- 
ter of  Metternich  addressed  to  Count  Lutzow, 
the  aforesaid  Ambassador,  dated  INIay  3,  1831, 
in  which  the  Chancellor  informs  the  Ambassa- 
dor in  the  following  words :  **  Countess  Cam- 
erata  (he  says:  *  Frau  von  Camerata')  was 
expelled  from  Vienna  where  she  left  a  disa- 


76  Zbc  MwQ  of  IRome 

greeable  memory.  She  undertook  the  danger- 
ous task  of  helping  the  Duke  of  Reichstadt 
to  escape  in  order  that  he  might  have  the  lead- 
ing part  in  Bonapartian  pohtics.  She 
was  sorry  that  her  undertaking  came  to  no- 
thing, therefore,  she  did  not  like  to  return 
either  to  her  father,  nor  to  her  brother,  and  she 
went  to  Prague,  because  she  did  not  yet  give 
up  her  plan,  and  she  would  stay  for  a  time 
still  on  Austrian  territory." 

At  the  same  time  at  the  Vienna  Imperial 
Court  it  was  resolved  to  take  "  Franz "  to 
Prague,  the  Bohemian  Capital,  where  he 
should  take  part  in  the  military  exercises. 
Really  that  were  a  good  occasion  to  make  the 
world  believe  young  Napoleon  thinks  himself 
nothing  else  than  an  Austrian  officer.  But 
on  account  of  his  unexpected  sickness  this  pro- 
ject could  not  be  carried  out  and  he  never  saw 
Prague. 

When  Countess  Camerata  later  was  con- 
vinced that  she  would  never  see  her  cousin 
again  and  accomplish  her  plan,  she  returned 
to  Italy.  However,  it  is  undeniable,  she  was 
a  courageous  woman.  To  promote  family 
politics  she  was  scorned  and  ill  treated  by  the 


Couute00  Cainerata  n 

Vienna  Imperial  Court  and  INIetternich  with 
the  venom  which  ever  characterized  him,  sadly 
misjudged  her.  But  this  judgment  does  not 
at  all  helittle  her  character:  her  love  for  her 
country  and  her  family. 

Anyway  it  remains  an  open  and  most  im- 
portant historical  question,  what  would  have 
happened,  if  Countess  Camerata's  project  had 
turned  out  well? 

All  other  stories  spread  about  young  Na- 
poleon's lovely  cousin  are  nothing  but  fabri- 
cations, and  were  spread  abroad  for  no  good 
purpose. 


SOMETHING    ABOUT    AN    INTER- 
ESTING POEM 

ETER    JOHN    BERANGER,    the 

celebrated  French  poet,  (born  Paris, 
August  19,  1780,  died  July  16, 
1875),  wrote  in  1812  one  of  his  most  interest- 
ing poems  entitled  Les  deux  cousins,  ou  let- 
tre  dfun  ijetit  Eoi  a  un  yetit  Prince  ("  The 
two  cousins,  or  letter  of  a  little  King  to  a  little 
Prince"),  in  which  he  gives  the  Prince  of 
Bourbon  the  advice  that  he  should  not  trust 
those  about  him  in  their  simulated,  flattering 
loyalt}^  and  that  he  should  learn  of  the  King 
of  Rome  how  good  luck  is  unsteady. 

August  Marseille  Barthelemy,  another 
French  poet  (who  is  not  to  be  confounded 
with  August  Barthelemy  De  Saint  Hilaire, 
j'^oung  Napoleon's  teacher  in  the  French  lan- 
guage), follows  Beranger's  example  and 
writes  in  1825  another  political  poem  about 
Napoleon  II.   entitled  Le  fils  de  VHomme, 

78 


an  Untcresting  poem  79 

("  The  son  of  the  Man  ") ,  and  this  was  a  great 
surprise  to  the  public.  Barthelemy,  the 
former  implacable  enemy  of  the  Bonapartes, 
speaks  now  in  the  interest  of  one  of  them. 
This  poem  was  published  to  try  and  turn  the 
public  mind  (already  somewhat  favorable  to 
young  Napoleon)  thoroughly  in  his  favor,  and 
therefore  this  publication  jarred  the  Paris  and 
Vienna  governments  like  a  bomb. 

With  splendid  enthusiasm  Barthelemy 
speaks  about  the  Great  Emperor's  son,  and 
says  he  was  sacrificed  by  the  "  heartless " 
Austrian  politics.  In  the  beginning  he  calls 
upon  L'Aiglon  not  to  forget  his  name,  and  to 
look  out  to  regain  his  father's  crown.  Then 
he  attacks  the  Austrian  Imperial  Court,  and 
asks  INIetternich  and  the  others  why  they  will 
ruin  b}''  every  means  Napoleon's  son? 

And  then  he  prophecies,  and  says  the  faith- 
ful son  of  the  "  Grande  Nation "  will  pull 
asunder  his  fetters,  and  he  will  return  to  his 
well-beloved  France. 

And  this  prophec}^  frightened  both  the 
Bourbon  and  the  Habsburg  politicians.  This 
poem  is  remembered  on  account  of  tliis  char- 
acterizing circumstance. 


8o  ^bc  H^ino  of  IRotnc 

Count  Joseph  Ai)f)onyi,  the  Austrian  Am- 
bassador at  Paris,  calls,  in  his  report  sent  to 
Metternich,  June  12,  1829,  the  Chancellor's 
attention  to  this  poem. 

And  Barthelemy? 

Like  an  exceedingly  enthusiatic  poet  ex- 
plodes all  the  stories  spread  about  young  Na- 
l^oleon.  In  the  first  place  he  repeats  the  stor}'- 
of  the  poisoning.  Afterward  he  goes  to  see  the 
"  Emperor."  Arriving  in  Vienna  December 
31,  1828,  there  he  says  he  came  only  to  offer 
a  copy  of  his  celebrated  work.  Napoleon  en 
i^gyiite  to  "  Franz."  Then  he,  January  3, 
1829,  went  to  see  Dietrichstein,  he  took  with 
him  two  copies  of  his  aforementioned  book  and 
offering  one  of  them  to  the  Count,  asked  him 
for  permission  to  give  the  other  copy  to  the 
Prince.  The  diplomatic  Dietrichstein  smil- 
ing takes  both  copies,  explaining  to  the  poet 
that  the  book  has  to  be  read  by  him  thoroughly 
first,  then  he  will  give  him  his  opinion  in  which 
behalf  he  may  call  again. 

Barthelemy  distrusting  the  Count  did  not 
call  again,  but  decided  to  carry  out  his  own 
plans.  For  four  weeks  he  conceals  himself  in 
Vienna,  trying  by  all  means  to  see  j^oung 


Hn  UntercstltiG  poem  8i 

Napoleon.  Then,  at  last,  convinced  he  has  no 
hope  for  success,  breathing  vengeance,  returns 
to  Paris,  and  upon  arriving  there  he  immedi- 
atety  published  his  poem  Le  fils  de  VHomme, 

The  French  government  taking  notice  of 
his  publication  gave  a  special  order  to  confis- 
cate all  the  copies  wherever  they  may  be 
found,  but  the  police  could  not  find  more  than 
8000  copies  three  days  after  the  poem  was 
published,  out  of  an  issue  of  300,000. 

"  I  worry  about  this  order,"  says  Count 
Apponyi  to  Metternich,  "this  may  result  in 
great  trouble.  However,  the  government 
cannot  remain  idle  seeing  how  the  principle  of 
legitimacy  will  be  shaken  and  the  common 
peace  disturbed." 

If  the  leaders  of  Austrian  and  Bourbon 
politics  did  not  see  and  know  young  Napole- 
on's popularity,  why  then  were  they  so  afraid 
of  tliis  poem? 

At  the  Bourbon  Royal  Court  it  was  a  rule 
to  stifle  by  all  means  any  remembrance  of  the 
name  "Napoleon,"  and  now  they;  lost  their 
calm. 

Portalis,  the  secretary  for  foreign  affairs, 
who  had  to  thank  Great  Napoleon  for  every- 


82  Zhc  MwQ  of  IRome 

thing  and  who  was  formerly  Napoleon's  pro- 
tege became  his  enemy,  involved  Bartlielemy 
in  a  law-suit  alleging  "  high  treason  done  by 
liis  poem."  He  really  could  not  have  taken 
a  better  way.  He  hoped  to  erase  Napoleon 
II.  from  history  forever,  but  on  the  contrary 
he  made  evei*ybody  talk  about  the  famous  suit 
and  about  Napoleon's  son.  Portalis  instead 
of  attaining  his  effect  raised  young  Napole- 
on's popularity  higher  than  was  done  by  any- 
one else  before  him. 

The  trial  of  Barthelemy's  "  crime  "  was  be- 
gun July  20,  1822.  A  big  crowd  entirely 
filled  the  Court  House  and  Victor  Hugo,  the 
great  poet,  also  Gen.  Gourgaud,  Napoleon's 
faithful  friend  were  among  the  audience.  The 
public's  great  interest  was  once  more  height- 
ened by  the  interesting  rumor  that  the 
defendant  would  appear  before  his  judge 
without  a  lawyer,  and  would  plead  his  case 
himself    .    .    .    versifying. 

And  when  Barthelemy  was  called  to  the 
bar,  he  really  versified  his  apology,  and  the  en- 
thusiasm reached  such  a  height  that  no  one 
cared  that  he  was  sentenced  to  a  penalty  of 
1000  francs,  and  to  prison  for  three  years,  even 


En  flntercsting  poem  83 

it  was  stated  by  the  big  crowd  leaving  the 
court  room  that  this  sentence  raised  young 
Napoleon's  name  and  caused  a  perpetual  re- 
membrance of  his  popularit}'-. 

Obenaus's  diar\%  August  11,  1829,  says: 
"  I  had  a  talk  with  the  Prince  about  Barthe- 
lemy's  poem,  and  I  told  him  the  author  had 
been  here  and  should  have  liked  to  see  him 
very  much.  I  have  shown  the  Prince  this 
poem  so  he  may  see  by  what  means  some  peo- 
ple like  to  mislead  the  public  mind."  On  the 
same  page  he  confesses  to  have  made  a  "  mis- 
take," speaking  to  his  pupil  about  the  matter, 
then  he  says  the  Prince  read  this  poem  and 
told  him  with  enthusiasm:  "Yes,  really,  the 
chief  object  of  my  life  can  be  nothing  else  than 
to  become  a  worthy  heir  of  my  father's  glory." 
That  was  the  reason  for  the  great  fear  caused 
by  Barthelemy's  poem. 
Do  you  not  think  so? 


Supplements  flfl 


8s 


SHORT  VIEW  OF  THE  GENEALOGY 

OF  THE  IMPERIAL  HOUSE  OF 

BONAPARTE 

HE  descent  of  the  Bonaparte  family 
goes  back  many  centuries.  The  his- 
tory of  Italy  says  this  family  was  a 
celebrated  one  during  the  XIII  centurj^  and 
the  history  of  the  ItaHan  cities  of  Florence, 
Treviso,  San  Miniato,  and  Geneva  are  con- 
nected with  the  Bonaparte  name.  James 
("Jacopo")  Bonaparte,  who  in  1527  pub- 
lished his  celebrated  historical  work  entitled 
Ragguaglio  storico  de  tutto  L'accorso  par 
giorno  nel  sacco  di  Roma  dell  anno  1527  was 
still  known  as  a  descendant  of  the  old  nobility. 
Later  another  Bonaparte,  Nicholas  ("Nic- 
olo"),  the  author  of  a  play,  La  vidova,  was 
called  to  fill  a  chair  in  the  university  of  San 
Miniato,  and  was  a  nobleman  of  high  descent. 
The  Bonaparte  family  became  divided  into 
different  branches   and  one  of  them   settled 

87 


88  Zbc  Iklno  of  IRomc 

during  the  XVI  century  in  Ajaccio,  the  Capi- 
tal of  the  Isle  of  Corsica,  there  many  of  them 
held  high  social  and  political  positions  (Cit- 
tadini,  Fadri  del  Commune).  The  proper 
institutors  of  the  Ajaccio  Branch  of  Bona- 
parte's were  Napoleon  ("  Nabulione  di  Buon- 
aparte"), the  Emperor's  grandfather,  and 
Lucian,  uncle  of  Great  Napoleon,  later  Car- 
dinal of  Paris.  The  following  list  shows  the 
generations  of  the  Imperial  family  of  the 
Bonapartes : 


IBonapartc  6cncaIog^  89 


Nabulione  di  BUONAPARTE 


Carlo  Bonaparte 
Born  Ajaccio,  Mar.  29,  1746,— died  MontpelUer  Feb.  24,  1786. 
(Mary  Letizia  di  Raraolino,  of  Saracen,   North  African,  de- 
scent, born  Ajaccio  Aug.  24,  1750,  died  Rome  Feb.  3,  1836.) 


I.)  Joseph  (Mary  Juha  Clary). 
II.)  Napoleon  (1.  Josephine  Tascher). 
(2.  Marie  Louise  of  Austria.) 

III.)  Jerome  (1.  Elizabeth  Patterson). 

(2.  Catharinaof  Wuerttemberg. ) 
IV.)  Lucien  (1.  Christine  Boyer). 

(2.  Laurencia  Bleschamp.) 
V.)  Mary  Anna  Elizabeth  (Paschalis  di  Bacciocchi). 
VI.)  Louis  (Hortensia  Beauharnais). 
VII.)  Pauline  Carohne  Mary  (1.  Leclerc). 

(2.  Camillo  Borghese.) 
Vni.)  Carolina  Mary  Annunziata  (Joachime  Murat). 


90  Zhc  Iking  of  IRomc 


I.)  Joseph, 

King  of   Spain. 
Born  Corte,  Jan.  1,  1768,— died  Florence,  July  24,  1844. 
(Mary  Julia  Clary,  born  Marseille,  Dec.  27,  1777,— died  Flor- 
ence, Apr.  7,  1845.) 


1.   Charlotte  Zenaide, 

July  6,  1801— July  8, 1845. 

(Prince  Lucien  Charles  Bonaparte.) 

2.  Charlotte, 
Oct.  31,  1803— Mar.  9,  1839. 
(Louis  Napoleon,  Duke  of  Bergen.) 


"Madamk  Mkkk 
Letizia  di  Ramolino 
Young  Napoleon's  Grandmother 


:Bonaparte  6cncalOG\>  9^ 


II.)  Napoleon  I, 
Emperor  of  France,  King  of  Italy,  etc. 
Bom  Ajaccio,  Aug.  15,  1769,— died  St.  Helena,  May  5,  1831. 
(1.  Josephine  Tascher  de  la  Pagerie,  widow  of  Marquis  Stephen 

de  Beauharnais.) 
(2.  Marie  Louise,  Archduchess  of  Austria,  daughter  of  Empe- 
ror Francis  II.) 


Napoleon  II, 

King  of  Rome, 

Prince  of  Parma, 

Duke  of  Reichstadt. 

Born  Paris,  March  20,  1811, — died  Schoenbrunn,  July  22, 1833. 


92 


Zhc  Mm  ot  IRome 


III.)  Jerome, 

King  of  Westphalia, 

Count  of  Montfort. 

Born  Ajaccio,  Nov.  15,  1773,— died  Apr.  4,  1860. 

(1.  Elizabeth  Patterson,  Baltimore,  Maryland, 

born  Dec.  27,  1803,— died  April  9,  1879.) 


Jerome  Napoleon,  Camberwell,  England, 

Born  July  7,  1805, — died  Baltimore,  June  17,  1870. 

(Susan  Mary  Williams,  Baltimore,  Nov.  3,  1829.) 


1.  Jerome  Napoleon. 
Born  Nov.  5,  1830,— 
died  Sept.  3,  1893. 
(Caroline  Le  Roy  (Appleton) 
Edgar,  Sept.  7,  1871.) 


2.  Charles  Joseph, 

Attorney-Gen.  of  U.  S.  . 

Born  June  9,  1851. 

(Ellen  Channing  Day, 

Sept.  1,1875.) 


1.  Louise  Eugenie, 
Born  Feb.  7,  1873. 
(Adam,  Count  Moltke- 
Huitfeldt,  Dec.  30,  1896.) 


2.  Jerome  Napoleon 

Charles, 
Born  Feb.  26,  1878. 


HOiN.    CHARI.es  J.    BONAI'AR'IE 

Attorney-General  of  the  United  States 


3Bonapartc  (Bencalog^ 


93 


m.)  Jerome 
(see  page  93). 
(2.  Catherine,  Princess  of  Wuerttemberg,  Dec.  1,  1807.) 


Napoleon  Je- 
rome Charles, 
Count  of  Mont- 
fort,  Bom  Graz 
(Austria)  Aug. 
14,  1814.  Died 
May  25,  1874. 


2.  Matliilde  Leti- 
cia  WUlielmina, 
born  May  27, 
1820,— died  Par- 
is,  1903.  (Ana- 
tole,  Duke  Dem- 
idow.) 


3.  Napoleon  Joseph 
Charles,  "Prince 
Napoleon,  Plon 
Plon."  Born 
Trieste  (Austria), 
Sept.  9,  1822,— 
died  Mar.  8,1891. 
(G  1  o  t  h  11  d  e, 
daughter  of  Vit- 
torio  Emmanu- 
ele,  King  of  Sar- 
dina.) 


Napoleon  Vic- 
tor, bom  July 
19,  1862. 


Louis,  Gen.  in 
the  Russian 
Army.  Born 
June  16,  1864. 


3.  Mary  Leticia, 
bom  Dec.  20, 
1866.  (Amadeo, 
Duke  of  Aosta. 


94  ^be  Iking  of  IRome 

rV.  )  L  u  c  i  e  n  , 

Duke  of  Canino. 

Bom  Ajaccio,  May  21,  1775, — died  Viterbo,  Apr.  30,  1840. 

(1.  Christina  Boyer,  died  May  14,  1821.) 


1.  Caroline,  born  May  13,  1776, — died  Rome,  May  6,  1865. 

(1.  Mario,  Duke  Gabrielli.) 
(2.  Cettino  Centamori.) 

2.  Christina  Egypte,  born  Oct.  19,  1798,— died  May  18, 1847. 

(1.  Ai-ved,  Count  Posse.) 
(2.  Lord  Dudley.) 

3.  Leticia,  born  Dec.  1,  1804, — died  March  1, 1871. 

(Thomas  Wyse.) 


1.  Marie  Louise,  2.  Thekla. 

born  Apr.  25,  1832.  (Francis  Tiirr,  Hungarian, 

(1 .  Solms.)  former  Gen.  in  Garibaldi's  army.) 

(2.  Ratazzi. 

(Rute.) 

4.  Johanna,  born  July  22,  1806,— died  1826. 

(Marchese  di  Honorati.) 

5.  Paul,  1808-1827. 

6.  Louis  Lucien,  bora  Thorngrove,  Jan.  1, 1813, — died  Fano, 

Nov.  3,  1891. 

7.  Peter,    "  The  Black  Prince,  born  Oct.  11,  1815,— died  Ver- 

sailles,  Apr.  7,  1881. 


1.   Roland,  May  19,  1858.  2.   Johanna. 

(Marquis  de  Villeneuve.) 

8.  Anton,  bora  Frascati,  Oct.  31, 1816,— died  Florence,  1877. 

(IMary  Anna  Cardinalli.) 

9.  Alexandrine  Mary,  born  Oct.   12,  1818,^-died    Perugia, 

Aug.  26,  1874. 
(Vincenzio  Valentini,  Count  of  Canino.) 
10.  Constancia,  born  Jan.  30,  1821,— died   Sept.  6, 1876. 


Ills  liiri'.KiAL  Highness  Pki.nce  Napolkon  Victur 


Bonaparte  (Bencaloo^  95 


rv,)    L  u  c  i  e  n 

(see  page  94). 

(2.  Laurencia  Alexandrine  Bleschamp,  bora  1778, — died  Sina- 

gaglia,  July  12,  1855.) 


Charles  Lucien  Julius,  Prince  of  Canino  and  Musignano, 

born  Paris,  May  24,  1803,— died  July  29,  1857. 
(Charlotte  Zenaide,  daughter  of  King  Joseph  of  Spain.) 


1.  Joseph,  Prince  of  Musignano,  born  Philadelphia,  Sept.  13, 

1824,— died  Rome,  Sept.  2,  1865. 

2.  Lucien,  Cardinal,  born  Nov.  25, 1828, — died  Rome,  1868. 

3.  Napoleon  Charles,  bom  Feb.  15,  1839. 

(Christine  Ruspoli.) 

4.  Julia,  1830. 

(Alessandro,  Marchese  di  Gallo.) 

5.  Carolina,  born  Mar.  4,  1832. 

(Peter  Primoli.) 

6.  Mary,  born  Mar.  18,  1835. 

(Paolo,  Conte  di  Campbello.) 

7.  Augusta,  born  Nov.  9, 1836. 

(Placidio,  Duca  di  Gabrielli.) 

8.  Bathilda,  born  Nov.  26,  1840. 

(Count  Cambaceres.) 


96  ^be  Iking  of  IRome 


v.)    Mary    Anna    Elizabeth, 
born  Ajaccio,  Apr,  3,  1777, — died  Trieste,  1820. 
(Pascalis,  Duca  di  Baceiocchi.) 


1.  Napoleona  Eliza,  3.  Napoleon  Frederick 

bom  June  3,  1806,-died  1825.  1814-1833. 


(Count  Camerata.) 


Napoleon, 

Count  Camerata, 

Died  1853. 


Bonaparte  (Benealog^ 


97 


VI.)    Louis, 

King  of  Holland, 

born  Ajaccio,  Nov,  2,  1778, — died  Livorao,  July  25,  1846. 

(Hortensia  Beauharnais,  Napoleon  I.'s  step-daughter.) 


1.  Napoleon  Louis 
Charles,  born 
Oct.  19,  1802,— 
died  Mar.  5, 1807. 


2.  Charles  Louis 

Napoleon, 

Duke  of  Bergen, 

Crown-Prince 

of  Holland, 

born  Oct.  11,  1804, 

died  1831. 


3.    Napoleon    III., 
Emperor  of  France, 

died  1873. 

(Eugenie,  Countess 

Monti  jo,  Spain.) 


Napoleon   IV., 

"  Prince  Lulu," 

died  1879. 


98  Zhc  Mm  of  IRome 


VII.)    Pauline     Mary     Caroline, 

Born  Ajaccio,  Apr.  22,  1780, — died  Florence  June  9,  1825. 

(1.  Gen.  Leclerc.) 

(3.  Camillo,  Duca  di  Borghese.) 


II.   I.  iM.   The  E.mi'Kess  Eugenie 


Bonaparte  Genealogy 


99 


VIII.)    Carolina     Mary    Annunziata, 
born  Ajaccio,  Mar.  26,  1782,— died  Florence,  May  18,  1839. 
(Joachim  Marat,  Imperial  Prince  of  France,  King  of  Naples, 
shot  by  order  of  the  King  of  France,  Vincennes,  Oct.  13, 
1813.) 


1.  Achilles, 
Prince  Mu- 
r  a  t,  boi"n 
Jan.21,1801, 
— died  Apr. 
15,  1847. 


2.     Leticia 

Josepliine, 

Princess 

Murat(1802- 

1859.) 

(Marchese 

Pepoli.) 


3.  Lucien 

Charles, 

Prince  Mu- 

rat,  born 

May  6, 1803, 

— died  Apr. 

10,  1878. 

(Georgina 

Frazer.) 


4.  Louise 

Julia 

Caroline, 

Princess 

Murat, 

1805-1889. 

(Count 
Rasponi.) 


1.  Carolina    2.  Joseph       3.  Anna      4.  Achilles      5.   Louis 
Leticia,         Joachim,        Feb.  3,        Napoleon,     Napoleon, 
Princess         Prince  1848, —  Prince  Prince 

Murat.  Murat.  (Anton  Murat,  Murat, 

(Mr.    Char-      July  21,  Count      Jan.  2, 1847.  Dec.  22, 1851. 

rison.)  1834.  Noailles.)    (Dadiana, 

Duchess 

of 

Mingrelia.) 


EX-EMPRESS  EUGENIE  AND  THE 

EMPEROR-KING  FRANCISJ 

JOSEPH 

^HE  widow  of  Napoleon  III.  wHo  in 
her  day  was  so  celebrated  for  her 
beauty,  made  a  journey  to  Ischl, 
Austria,  in  August,  1906.  She  wished  to  see 
the  old  IVIonarch  of  the  Austro-Hungarian 
Empire,  Francis  Joseph,  before  her  death,  in 
order  to  thank  him  for  the  many  kindnesses  he 
had  manifested  in  her  behalf. 

Countess  Clementine  Castelnau,  a  confi- 
dante of  the  Empress,  tells  us  some  very  in- 
teresting and  charming  details  of  this  visit. 
Francis  Joseph  always  showed  deep  respect 
and  warm  sympathy  for  the  Empress,  and 
through  his  chivalrous  manners  he  took  every 
opportunity  to  display  this  relation.  It  was 
for  the  many  courteous  attentions  paid  her 
that  she  went  to  thank  the  Monarch,  and  she 
did  not  go  with  empty  hands  to  the  favorite 


His  Imperial  and  Royal  Majesty 

Franz  Josek  I. 
Emperor  of  Austria,  King  of  Hungary 


i£ug^nie  anb  jfrand^  3o5cpb       loi 

summer  residence  of  Francis  Joseph.  She 
offered  her  great  benefactor  some  very  pre- 
cious furniture  once  possessed  by  the  French 
King  Louis  XIV.,  several  beautiful  gobelins, 
and  the  gold  watch  of  her  late  husband,  Na- 
poleon III.  Francis  Joseph  did  not  accept 
the  presents,  because  he  did  not  wish  to  de- 
prive the  Empress  of  these  relics,  undoubtedly 
so  dear  to  her  heart.  How  tactful  the  JNIon- 
arch  was  in  solving  this  delicate  question  is 
proved  by  the  fact  that  the  Empress  after  the 
visit  turned  with  these  words  to  Countess 
Castelnau:  "  Je  suis  hereuse,"  ("I  am 
happy"),  a  sentiment,  she  had  not  expressed 
for  a  long  time. 

Since  her  glory  had  passed  away  Empress 
Eugenie  cherished  the  memory  of  but  one 
man,  that  was  Emperor  Francis  Joseph.  She 
herself  related  the  following  in  connection 
with  the  memorable  meeting  with  him:  "His 
Majesty,  the  Emperor,  possesses  the  kindest 
and  noblest  soul;  his  kindness  is  wonderful. 
It  is  not  surprising  then  that  they  call  him  the 
'  chivalrous  INIonarch.'  When  he  bent  down 
to  kiss  my  hand,  when  he  addressed  me,  and 
softly  called  me  *  Majeste,'  my  whole  past, 


I02  Zbc  Mm  of  IRomc 

with  all  its  sad  memory  deserted  my  much  bur- 
dened soul,  and  for  a  few  minutes  I  imagined 
myself  the  real  Empress  of  France.  His  im- 
pressive carriage,  his  voice  and  manners  de- 
monstrated that  his  royal  personality  rests 
upon  a  royal  appearance.  He,  I  am  sure,  re- 
tained the  lost  throne  in  his  heart  for  me." 

From  Countess  Castelnau  we  learn  how  ex- 
cited the  Empress  was  before  the  meeting. 
As  her  train  drew  into  the  Ischl  station  she 
hastened  to  the  window  and  anxiously  looked 
for  the  IMonarch.  She  sighed  sadly  as  she 
noticed  him. 

"II  porte  la  Legion  d'Honneur,"  ("He 
wears  the  cross  of  the  Legion  of  Honor"). 
The  first  impression  was  very  painful  because 
both,  Eugenie  and  her  escorts,  believed  the 
Emperor  was  wearing  the  cross  given  him  by 
the  former  President  of  the  French  Republic, 
^IcMahon,  well  knowing  he  received  it  from 
this  President  too. 

They  did  not  know  the  soul  of  Francis 
Joseph. 

The  joy  was  so  much  the  greater  when  later 
they  found  out  that  out  of  special  courtesy 
the  Monarch  wore  the  cross  on  this  occasion, 


lEuG^nle  anb  ifrancis  3o0cpb     103 

which  he  had  received  from  Napoleon  III. 

What  memories  took  possession  of  Francis 
Joseph  as  he  stood  opposite  the  ex-Empress 
then  80  years  old? 

Francis  Joseph  at  this  meeting  again  gave 
evidence  of  his  noble  manner  of  thinking, 
which  certain  people  like  to  question,  but  which 
he  gave  so  many  proofs  of,  that  no  statements, 
however  much  they  misrepresent,  cannot  erase 
from  liistory. 


Supplements  IFIFIT 


105 


PRESIDENT  MADISON  AND 
NAPOLEON  I. 


HE  mutual  high  estimation  of  Presi- 
dent James  Madison  and  Emperor 
Napoleon  I.,  also  the  sympathy  of 
both  nations,  the  French  and  American,  is 
showTi  by  the  circumstance  that  the  Emperor 
notified  the  President  of  the  birth  of  Princess 
Josephine  Beauharnais,  daughter  of  Eugen 
Beauharnais,  Napoleon's  stepson.  It  may  be 
of  much  interest  to  know  the  answer  given  by 
President  Madison  to  the  Great  Emperor. 

"  James  Madison,  President  of  the  United 
States  of  America. 

*'•  To  our  Great  and  Good  Friend  His  Imp- 
erial and  Roj^al  Majesty  the  Emperor  of  the 
French,  King  of  Italy  and  Protector  of  the 
Confederation  of  the  Rhine. 
"  I    have    just    received    Your    Imperial 

:Majesty's  letter  of  the  29th  of  March,  1807, 

107 


io8  Zhc  Mm  of  IRome 

communicating  the  intelligence  that  the  Prin- 
cess Eugenie  Napoleona,  Vice  Queen  of  Italy, 
was  happily  delivered  on  the  14th  of  that 
month  of  a  Princess  who  has  received  the  name 
of  Josephine. 

"  The  friendly  interest  which  the  United 
States  take  in  an  event  so  conducive  to  the 
happiness  of  your  Majestj^  and  your  Imperial 
Family  requires  that  I  should  not  delay  a 
tender  of  their  congratulation,  with  assurance 
of  our  esteem  and  friendship.  And  I  pray 
God  to  have  you  Great  and  Good  Friend  in 
his  holy  keeping. 

"Written  at  the  City  of  Washington,  the 
Seventeenth  day  of  March,  1809. 
"  Your  Good  Friend, 

"Signed:  James  MadisoN". 
"  By  the  President, 

"  N.  Smith,  Secretary  of  State." 


President  Madison 


EXPLANATORY  REMARKS 

DIETRICHSTEIN,  Maurice  Joseph, 
Count,  born  Vienna,  August  27,  1775,  died 
February  19,  1864.  During  the  Vienna  Con- 
gress he  was  attached  to  the  King  of  Den- 
mark. After  he  entered  the  Austrian  mihtary 
service  at  the  battle  at  Naples  (1798)  he  to- 
gether with  his  commander-in-chief.  Gen. 
Mack,  fell  into  a  French  war-prison.  He  was 
a  highly  educated  man,  a  "  literary  gentle- 
man," and  intimate  friend  of  the  great  musi- 
cian, Beethoven.  From  1815  to  1830  he  was 
young  Napoleon's  tutor;  later  he  was  ap- 
pointed Intendant  General  of  the  Vienna 
Imperial  theatre  and  director  of  the  Habsbur- 
gian  family  library.  The  family  Dietrichstein 
went  out  with  the  General's  son,  Joseph 
Maurice,  1852. 

"  L'AIGLON."  Edmonde  Rostand,  the  fa- 
mous French  poet,  made  his  name  with  his 
beautiful    poem    entitled    UAiglon,    memor- 

log 


no  Zbc  MwQ  of  IRome 

able  forever.  It  is  a  versified  drama,  one  of  the 
most  fascinating  plays  ever  placed  upon  the 
stage.  But  no  poetical  work  can  be  criticized 
in  view  of  historical  truth.  Rostand's  drama 
takes  undoubtedly  the  first  rank  among  the 
many  works  which  show  us  historically  promi- 
nent persons  on  the  stage.  UAiglon  was 
one  of  the  most  remarkable  literary  and  thea- 
trical successes  of  recent  times,  and  it  is  re- 
markable this  drama  was  played  in  the  United 
States  many  times.  In  1901  Madame  Sarah 
Bernhardt,  the  famous  French  actress,  came 
to  America  where  she  played  the  title  role  and 
it  was  a  great  success.  But  a  greater  success 
was  even  made  by  Miss  Maude  Adams,  the 
Re  jane  of  America,  who  plaj^d  it  at  the 
same  time.  As  UAiglon  she  showed  the 
world  she  was  really  worthy  to  be  put  in  par- 
allel with  Madame  Rejane.  She  afterward 
played  this  part  two  hundred  and  sixteen 
times,  and  showed  the  public  how  an  American 
actress  can  interpret  a  French  author  which 
proves  really  a  high  art. 

METTERNICH,    Winneburg,    Clemens 
Lothar,    Duke.     Austrian    Chancellor,    born 


lExplanatorp  1Remarf?0 


III 


Koblenz,  Bohemia,  Ma}^  15, 1773,  died  Vienna, 
January  11,  1859. 

NEIPPERG,  Adam  Albert,  Count. 
Austrian  General,  son  of  William  Neipperg, 
born  April  8,  1775,  died  February  22,  1829. 
At  the  historical  Vienna  Congress  he  was 
Marie  Louise's  "  charge  d'affairs,"  then  in 
1815,  Governor  of  Parma.  In  1821  he  mar- 
ried Marie  Louise,  and  their  son,  William, 
became  the  progenitor  of  the  Austrian  Monte- 
nuovo  Ducal  family.  Marie  Louise  later, 
after  Neipperg's  death,  had  another  relation, 
this  Avith  Count  Bombelles,  then  she  had  a 
third  one  with  the  Austrian  Cavalry  officer 
Baron  Werklein.  Her  daughter  by  Werk- 
lein.  Baroness  Ida  Werklein,  was  educated  at 
the  Pressburgian  (Hungary)  Ursulines'  con- 
vent, where  she  was  one  time  visited  by  her 
mother,  who  came  in  the  incognito  of  "  Count- 
ess Almasy,"  to  see  her  child.  Baroness  Bibra- 
Gleicherwiesen  (Budapest,  Hungary),  is  the 
only  scholar  still  living  who  played  many 
times  with  the  little  Baroness  Werklein,  and 
who  saw  Marie  Louise  during  her  mentioned 
Pressburg  journey. 


112  Zbe  Mm  of  IRome 

PARINIA,  formerly  an  independent  Duke- 
dom, since  1860  connected  with  Italy.  Pope 
Julius  II.,  1813,  separated  the  cities  Parma 
and  Piacenza  from  the  Dukedom  of  INIilan; 
later  they  were  given  hy  Pope  Paul  III., 
1545,  as  an  independent  Dukedom  to  Luigi 
Farnese,  the  ancestor  of  the  Farnese  Ducal 
family.  Two  years  later  this  Dukedom  came 
under  the  supremacy  of  Spain,  but  Pope  Jul- 
ius III.,  1550,  got  it  back  again  for  the 
Farnese  family  who  possessed  it  until  Duke 
Antonio  Farnese's  death,  in  1731,  who  was 
the  last  of  this  family.  Charles  VI.,  Em- 
peror of  Germany,  took  possession  of  it  later. 
In  1796  Parma  was  conquered  by  France,  and 
1814  INIarie  Louise  w^as  appointed  by  her 
father  Duchess  of  Parma  with  rights  of  a  Sov- 
ereign. 1847,  Philipe,  Prince  of  Spain,  had 
the  Parma  throne,  but  he  was  forced  by  the 
revolution,  1848,  to  flee  therefrom.  The  last 
historical  event  of  this  Dukedom,  it  was  con- 
quered by  Vittorio  Emmanuele,  King  of 
Sardinia. 

PROKESCH-OSTEN,  Anton,  Count, 
born  Graz,  Austria,  December  10,  1795;  died 


lEipIanator^  1Rcmai1^6  113 

Vienna,  October  26,  1876.  1815  he  was  ad- 
jutant of  the  great  Austrian  General,  Arch- 
duke Charles ;  then  he  was  appointed  professor 
at  the  Olmutz  (Austria)  mihtary  school,  and 
at  last  he  was  adjutant  of  another  celebrated 
Austrian  General,  Prince  Schwarzenberg.  He 
was  acquainted  with  young  Napoleon  dur- 
ing this  last  employment  in  Vienna.  June 
22,  183.5,  he  received  a  command  from  the 
Emperor  Francis  II.  to  a  Court  dinner,  on 
which  occasion  he  was  set  at  the  left  of 
"  Franz,"  who  immediately  after  dinner,  shak- 
ing hands  with  him  addressed  him  as  follows: 
"  I  have  liked  j'-ou  for  a  long  time  and  I  will 
never  forget  you  fought  for  my  father's  honor 
at  a  time  when  everybody  caluminated  him. 
I  have  read  your  book  about  the  battle  of 
Waterloo  thoroughly  and  with  the  greatest 
interest,  and  have  it  translated  into  the  French 
and  Italian  languages."  Count  Prokesch,  in 
1848,  was  appointed  General  in  the  Austrian 
Army,  later  Ambassador  to  Constantinople. 
He  was  a  famous  historiographer. 

REICHSTADT  (Zakupy),  a  town  in  the 
Iveipa  precinct  of  Bohemia,  with  an  Imperial 


114  ^bc  Iking  of  1Romc 

palace,  built  1573,  of  300  rooms,  which  origin- 
ally belonged  to  the  Bavarian  Electorate. 
This  property  was  given  1805  to  Fernando, 
Duke  of  Toscana,  then,  later,  in  1819,  Em- 
peror Francis  II.  gave  its  title,  but  only  the 
title  to  his  grandchild,  Napoleon  II. 

SCHOENBRUNN  (XII  precinct  "  Heit- 
zing,"  of  the  Austrian  Capital,  Vienna,  the 
celebrated  Imperial  palace,  finished  1750  by 
the  famous  Italian  architect  Valmagnini.  This 
palace  has  1441  rooms,  among  them  the  "  blue 
cabinet"  is  the  most  famous:  it  was  Marie 
Therese's  favorite  room  in  which  stood  Napo- 
leon I.  during  his  journey  to  Vienna,  1809, 
and  here  died  L'Aiglon,  Napoleon  II.  This 
palace  has  a  pretty  theatre  and  the  Court 
Chapel  contains  many  precious  relics  and  pict- 
ures by  Guglielmi  and  Hamilton.  A  splen- 
did park  of  about  two  miles  surrounds  this 
palace. 


i 


LIST  OF  HISTORICAL  WORKS 

USED  IN  WRITING  THIS 

BOOK 

L.  WERTHEIMER:  Der  Herzog  von 
Reichstadt,  pp.  45,  316,  372. 

HELFERT:  Marie  Louise,  p.  195. 

WEIDJMANN:  Moriz  Graf  von  Dietrich- 
stein,  sein  Leben  und  Wirken,  aus  seinen  hin- 
terlassenen  Papieren  dargestellt. 

MONTBEL:  Le  roi  de  Rome;  La  legende 
et  Vhistoire. 

L.  OBENAUS:  Diary,  property  of  the 
Austrian  Colonel  Baron  Oscar  Obenaus. 

TREITSCHKE:  Historisclie  und  poli- 
tische  Aufsaetze,  vol.  iii.,  p.  157. 

COUNT  PROKESCH-OSTEN:  Mein 
Verhaeltnis  zum  Herzog  von  Reichstadt,  p. 
41 ;  Schreiben  an  und  iiber  den  Herzog  von 
Reichstadt. 

"  CORRESPOND ANCE  DE  NAPO- 
LEON," vol.  xxviii,  p.  133. 

115 


ii6  ^be  MwQ  of  IRomc 

Le  due  de  Reichstadt,  {Nouvelle  Itevue, 
1897.) 

Comment  est  mort  le  due  de  ReicJistadt 
{Gazette  des  Hospitaux,  INIarch,  1900.) 

Le  due  de  lieichstadt  (Annates  de  Vecole 
lihre  des  sciences  poUtiqiies,  ]May,  1896.) 

HALLWICH:  Mittheilungen,  pp.  36,  68. 

SCHLITTER:  Die  Stellung  der  Oester- 
reichischen  Regierung,  (Archiv  filr  osterrei- 
cliisclie  Geschiclite^  vol.  Ixxx,  p.  122. 

FREDRICK  MASSON:  UAiglon  et 
la  Comtesse  Camerata  (Revue  de  Paris,  April 
and  June,  1900,  pp.  588,  651,  888. 

BERANGER:  Chansons,  vol.  ii,  p.  235; 
Memoir es  couronnees  publics  par  V  Academie 
Royal  de  Bclgique,  vol.  viii,  p.  25. 

VIEL-CASTEL:  Histoire  de  la  Restau- 
ration,  vol.  xix,  p.  571. 

SCHMITT:  ZeitgenossiscJie  Geschichte, 
p.  187. 


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